Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

19) The Sahabah And The Ahl Al-Bayt: Hadith Al-Hawdh (Part 3)

Perhaps, it is time to see the faces of some of these heretics. We know already from al-Bara that the Sahabah who gave ba’yah to the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alaihi wa alihi, under the Tree of al-Hudaybiyyah were among them. These, of course, were the most senior Sahabah - from the Muhajirun, the Ansar and some others. Writing about these people, Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 H) says:

ثم إن المسلمين بايعوه و دخلوا في طاعته و الذين بايعوه هم الذين بايعوا رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم تحت الشجرة و هم السابقون الأولون من المهاجرين و الأنصار و الذين اتبعوهم بإحسان رضي الله عنهم و رضوا عنه و هم أهل الإيمان و الهجرة و الجهاد و لم يتخلف عن بيعته إلا سعد بن عبادة

Besides, the Muslims gave ba’yah to him (i.e. Abu Bakr) and obeyed him. Those who gave ba’yah to him were those same who gave ba’yah to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, under the Tree, and they were the foremost Muhajirun and Ansar and those who followed them in good deeds. Allah was pleased with them and they were pleased with Him; and they were people of iman, Hijrah and jihad, and none refused to give him (i.e. Abu Bakr) bay’ah except Sa’d b. ‘Ubadah.1

Obviously, Allah was pleased with them generally during the lifetime of the Prophet, because they had iman and were righteous2 . However, they “changed” after him, and “innovated” in the religion. These later actions removed the Pleasure of Allah from them, and cancelled His Promises to them - which were hinged upon their continued iman and righteousness anyway3 .

Meanwhile, we have Sunni reports which also identify some of these Sahabah by name with various other bid’ahs. Imam Muslim (d. 261 H) records one of them:

وحدثنا محمد بن المثنى وابن بشار قال ابن المثنى حدثنا محمد بن جعفر حدثنا شعبة عن الحكم عن عمارة بن عمير عن إبراهيم بن أبي موسى عن أبي موسى أنه كان يفتي بالمتعة فقال له رجل رويدك ببعض فتياك فإنك لا تدري ما أحدث أمير المؤمين في النسك بعد حتى لقيه بعد فسأله فقال عمر قد علمت أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قد فعله وأصحابه ولكن كرهت أن يظلوا معرسين بهن في الأراك ثم يروحون في الحج تقطر رؤسهم

Muhammad b. al-Muthanna and Ibn Bashar - Muhammad b. Ja’far - Shu’bah - al-Hakam - ‘Amarah b. ‘Umayr - Ibrahim b. Abi Musa - Abu Musa:

I used to give fatwas in favour of Hajj al-Tamattu’. So, a person said to me, “Exercise restraint in delivering some of your fatwas, for you do not know what the Commander of the Believers has INNOVATED in the Hajj rites during your absence.” I met him subsequently and asked him and he replied, “I know that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and his Sahabah performed it. But, I hate that the married persons should have intercourse with their wives under the shade of trees, and then set out for Hajj with water trickling from their heads.”4

Imam Ahmad (d. 241 H) documents a fuller version:

حدثنا عبد الله حدثني أبي ثنا عبد الرزاق أنا الثوري عن قيس بن مسلم عن طارق بن شهاب عن أبي موسى الأشعري قال …ما زلت أفتي الناس بالذي أمرني رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم حتي توفي ثم زمن أبي بكر رضي الله تعالى عنه ثم زمن عمر رضي الله تعالى عنه فبينا أنا قائم عند الحجر الأسود أو المقام أفتي الناس بالذي أمرني به رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم إذ أتاني رجل فسارني فقال لا تعجل بفتياك فان أمير المؤمنين قد أحدث في المناسك شيئا فقلت أيها الناس من كنا أفتيناه في المناسك شيئا فليتئد فإن أمير المؤمنين قادم فبه فأتموا قال فقدم عمر رضي الله تعالى عنه فقلت يا أمير المؤمنين هل أحدثت في المناسك شيئا قال نعم إن نأخذ بكتاب الله عز و جل فإنه يأمر بالتمام وإن نأخذ بسنة نبينا صلى الله عليه و سلم فإنه لم يحلل حتى نحر الهدي

‘Abd Allah (b. Ahmad) - my father (Ahmad b. Hanbal) - ‘Abd al-Razzaq - al-Thawri - Qays b. Muslim - Tariq b. Shihab - Abu Musa al-Ash’ari:

... I continued to give fatwas to the people with what the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, commanded me (i.e. Hajj al-Tamattu’) till he died, then during the time of Abu Bakr, may Allah the Most High be pleased with him, then during the time of ‘Umar, may Allah the Most High be pleased with him. Then, while I was standing near the Black Stone or the Maqam, I gave fatwa to the people with that which the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, commanded me. At that point, a man came to me and whispered to me, saying “Exercise constraint with your fatwas, for the Commander of the Believers had INNOVATED something in the Hajj rites.” So, I said, “O people, whomever we gave any fatwa concerning the Hajj rites, let him wait, for the Commander of the Believers is about to come to you, and you should follow him.”

‘Umar, may Allah the Most High be pleased with him, then came and I said, “O Commander of the Believers! Did you INNOVATE something in the Hajj rites?” He replied, “Yes. If we follow the Book of Allah the Almighty, it commands to do al-tamam (i.e. Hajj al-Tamattu’); and if we follow the Sunnah of our Prophet, peace be upon him, he, peace be upon him, did not put off ihram till he had sacrificed the animal.”5

Al-Arnaut says:

إسناده صحيح على شرط الشيخين

Its chain is sahih upon the standard of the two Shaykhs.6

But, what exactly was this self-confessed “innovation” of ‘Umar in the Hajj rites? Imam al-Nasai (d. 303 H) records the answer:

أخبرنا محمد بن علي بن الحسن بن شقيق قال أنبأنا أبي قال أنبأنا أبو حمزة عن مطرف عن سلمة بن كهيل عن طاوس عن بن عباس قال سمعت عمر يقول والله إني لأنهاكم عن المتعة وإنها لفي كتاب الله ولقد فعلها رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يعني العمرة في الحج

Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. al-Hasan b. Shaqiq - my father - Abu Hamzah - Mutarrif - Salamah b. Kuhayl - Tawus - Ibn ‘Abbas:

I heard ‘Umar saying, “I swear by Allah, I forbid you from Hajj al-Tamattu’ while it certainly is in the Book of Allah and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, practised it.” He meant the performance of ‘Umrah during Hajj.7

‘Allamah al-Albani says:

صحيح الإسناد

It has a sahih chain8

Interesting, isn’t it? Allah commands Hajj al-Tamattu’ in His Book, and His Messenger performed it and also “commanded” his Sahabah with it. But, ‘Umar arrogated to himself the authority to countermand the Order of his Lord, and to proscribe the Sunnah of his Prophet! Surprisingly, he personally admitted that his action was an innovation in the Hajj rites. Yet, he pressed ahead with it. Even more unbelievable was the instruction of Abu Musa to his followers to abandon the Qur’an and Sunnah in favour of ‘Umar’s bid’ah?!

This incident reveals how audacious the senior Sahabah were in trampling upon the Laws of Allah as they wished. They easily abandoned the Qur’an and Sunnah, just to satisfy their rulers. People like ‘Umar too saw nothing bad in supplanting the Laws of Allah with his own “innovations”; and he did not bat an eye-lid doing so. In any case, our main interest is to establish that ‘Umar was an innovator; and, all praise be to Allah, he too personally confirmed that explicitly.9

Another senior Sahabi whose bid’ah became apparent was ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan, the third Sunni khalifah. After the death of ‘Umar, he carried on the former’s bid’ah, as Imam Muslim documents:

حدثنا محمد بن المثنى وابن بشار قال ابن المثنى حدثنا محمد بن جعفر حدثنا شعبة عن قتادة قال قال عبدالله ابن شقيق كان عثمان ينهى عن المتعة وكان علي يأمر بها فقال عثمان لعلي كلمة ثم قال علي لقد علمت أنا قد تمتعنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم فقال أجل ولكنا كنا خائفين

Muhammad b. al-Muthanna and Ibn Bashar - Muhammad b. Ja’far - Shu’bah - Qatadah - ‘Abd Allah b. Shaqiq:

‘Uthman used to forbid Hajj al-Tamattu’ while ‘Ali used to command people to perform it. So, as a result, ‘Uthman said something to ‘Ali. Then, ‘Ali said, “You know that we performed Hajj al-Tamattu’ with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.” He (‘Uthman) replied, “That’s right. But, we were in fear then.”10

What fear exactly was ‘Uthman talking about? There was none when the Prophet and his Sahabah performed Hajj al-Tamattu’. Even ‘Umar, the original founder of this bid’ah, did not attempt to bring up such a ridiculous revision of history. Besides, ‘Umar himself named it an innovation. So, ‘Uthman had no real defence whatsoever. Imam Ahmad also records:

حدثنا عبد الله حدثني أبي ثنا محمد بن جعفر ثنا شعبة عن الحكم عن على بن الحسين عن مروان بن الحكم انه قال شهدت عليا وعثمان رضي الله عنهما بين مكة والمدينة وعثمان ينهى عن المتعة وان يجمع بينهما فلما رأى ذلك على رضي الله عنه أهل بهما فقال لبيك بعمرة وحج معا فقال عثمان رضي الله عنه تراني أنهى الناس عنه وأنت تفعله قال لم أكن أدع سنة رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لقول أحد من الناس

‘Abd Allah (b. Ahmad) - my father (Ahmad b. Hanbal) - Muhammad b. Ja’far - Shu’bah - al-Hakam - ‘Ali b. al-Husayn - Marwan b. al-Hakam:

I witnessed ‘Ali and ‘Uthman, may Allah be pleased with them both, between Makkah and Madinah. ‘Uthman was forbidding (people) from Hajj al-Tamattu’, and from joining them both (Hajj and ‘Umrah) together (during the Hajj season). When ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said that, he took the ihram for both of them (i.e. Hajj and ‘Umrah), and said, “Labaik bi ‘Umrah wa Hajj”. So, ‘Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “You saw me forbidding the people from it, and yet you are performing it.” He (‘Ali) replied, “I will never abandon the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, on the word of anyone from mankind.”11

As-salamu ‘alaika ya Amir al-Muminin ‘Ali b. Abi Talib! Unlike Abu Musa who abandoned the Sunnah for the “innovation” of ‘Umar, Imam ‘Ali would rather die than commit such an abomination.

Meanwhile, apart from continuing the bid’ah of ‘Umar, ‘Uthman proceed to found his own too. Imam Abu Dawud (d. 275 H) documents his feat:

حدثنا محمد بن سلمة المرادي ثنا ابن وهب عن يونس عن ابن شهاب قال أخبرني السائب بن يزيد أن الأذان كان أوله حين يجلس الإمام على المنبر يوم الجمعة في عهد النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم وأبي بكر وعمر [رضي الله عنهما] فلما كان خلافة عثمان وكثر الناس أمر عثمان يوم الجمعة بالأذان الثالث فأذن به على الزوراء (الزوراء موضع بسوق المدينة) فثبت الأمر على ذلك

Muhammad b. Salamah al-Muradi - Ibn Wahb - Yunus - Ibn Shihab - al-Saib b. Yazid:

The adhan used to be made for the first time when the Imam sat on the pulpit on Friday during the lifetimes of the Prophet, peace be upon him, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar [may Allah be pleased with them both]. But, during the khilafah of ‘Uthman, when the population grew, ‘Uthman ordered a THIRD adhan. So, the adhan was made at al-Zawra (al-Zawra was a plat near the market of al-Madinah), and the practice became established.12

Al-Albani says:

صحيح

Sahih13

In other words, the first adhan used to be made once the Messenger was seated on the pulpit during his lifetime. Later, there was a second one - actually the iqamah, which was also the final. Imam al-Mubarakfuri (d. 1282 H) clarifies further:

والمعنى كان الأذان في العهد النبوي وعهد أبي بكر وعمر أذانين أحدهما حين خروج الإمام وجلوسه على المنبر والثاني حين إقامة الصلاة فكان في عهدهم الأذانان فقط ولم يكن الأذان الثالث والمراد بالأذانين الأذان الحقيقي والإقامة

The meaning of the statement “the adhan during the time of the Prophet, and the time of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, used to be two adhans”: one of them was when the Imam came out (into the mosque) and sat down on the pulpit, and the second was during the iqamah of the Salat. During their times, the adhans were only two, and there was no third one; and what was intended by the two adhans were the real adhan and the iqamah.14

This was the correct Sunnah. But, ‘Uthman ordered a “third” adhan, which was made near the marketplace. It was also called the “first adhan”, because it was placed before original adhan. Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (d. 311 H) records:

أن سلم بن جنادة حدثنا : و كيع عن ابن أبي ذئب عن الزهري عن السائب بن يزيد قال كان الأذان على رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم أبي بكر و عمر أذانين يوم الجمعة حتى كان زمن عثمان فكثر الناس فأمر بالأذان الأول بالزوراء

Salam b. Junadah - Waki’ - Ibn Abi Dhaib - al-Zuhri - al-Saib b. Yazid:

“The adhan during the times of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were two adhans on Friday. This remained until the time of ‘Uthman when the population grew. So, he ordered the FIRST adhan at al-Zawra.”15

Al-Albani comments:

إسناده صحيح

Its chain is sahih16

Al-Mubarakfuri also explains:

قال الحافظ في رواية وكيع عن ابن أبي ذئب فأمر عثمان بالأذان الأول ونحوه للشافعي من هذا الوجه ولا منافاة بينهما لأنه باعتبار كونه مزيدا يسمى ثالثا وباعتبار كونه جعل مقدما على الأذان والإقامة يسمى أولا

Al-Hafiz said: In the riwayah of Waki’ from Ibn Abi Dhaib, it is narrated that “‘Uthman ordered the first adhan.” Al-Shafi’i transmitted a similar thing from this route. There is no contradiction between the two: because it was an addition, it was called the third (adhan); and because it was made before the adhan and iqamah, it was called the first (adhan).17

Meanwhile, some top ‘ulama of the Ahl al-Sunnah have identified ‘Uthman’s new adhan as an “innovation”. Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah (d. 235 H) documents one such testimony:

حدثنا ابن علية عن برد عن الزهري قال كان الأذان عند خروج الامام فأحدث أمير المؤمنين عثمان التأذينة الثالثة على الزوراء ليجتمع الناس

Ibn ‘Ulayyah - Burd:

Al-Zuhri said, “The adhan used to be made when the Imam came out (into the mosque). But, the Commander of the Believers ‘Uthman INNOVATED the third adhan which was made at al-Zawra to gather the people.18

Al-Hafiz (d. 852 H) says about the first narrator:

إسماعيل بن إبراهيم بن مقسم الأسدي مولاهم أبو بشر البصري المعروف بابن علية ثقة حافظ

Isma’il b. Ibrahim b. Miqsam al-Asadi, their freed slave, Abu Bishr al-Basri, well-known as Ibn ‘Ulayyah: Thiqah (trustworthy), a hadith scientist.19

And concerning the main narrator, he further states:

برد بن سنان أبو العلاء الدمشقي نزيل البصرة مولى قريش صدوق رمي بالقدر

Burd b. Sinan, Abu al-‘Ala al-Dimashqi, he resided in Basra, freed slave of Quraysh: Saduq (very truthful), he was accused of believing in fatalism.20

So, the sanad is hasan. Al-Zuhri himself was a grand Sunni Imam, as testified by Imam al-Dhahabi (d. 748 H):

محمد بن مسلم بن عبيد الله بن عبد الله بن شهاب بن عبد الله بن الحارث بن زهرة بن كلاب بن مرة بن كعب بن لؤي بن غالب، الامام العلم، حافظ زمانه أبو بكر القرشي الزهري المدني نزيل الشام .روى عن ابن عمر، وجابر بن عبد الله شيئا قليلا، ويحتمل أن يكون سمع منهما، وأن يكون رأى أبا هريرة، وغيره

Muhammad b. Muslim b. ‘Ubayd Allah b. ‘Abd Allah b. Shihab b. ‘Abd Allah b. al-Harith b. Zuhrah b. Kilab b. Murrah b. Ka’b b. Luayy b. Ghalib, the Imam of knowledge, the hadith master of his time, Abu Bakr, al-Qurshi, al-Zuhri, al-Madani, he lived in Syria. He narrated a few things from Ibn ‘Umar and Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah. So, it is possible that he heard from them both, and that he saw Abu Hurayrah and others.21

This huge Imam named ‘Uthman’s action an innovation.

Besides, Ibn Abi Shaybah has an even more important athar for us:

حدثنا شبابة قال حدثنا هشام بن الغاز عن نافع عن ابن عمر قال الأذان الأول يوم الجمعة بدعة

Shubabah - Hisham b. al-Ghaz - Nafi’ - Ibn ‘Umar:

“The first adhan on Friday is a bid’ah.”22

Al-Hafiz says about the first narrator:

شبابة بن سوار المدائني أصله من خراسان يقال كان اسمه مروان مولى بني فزارة ثقة حافظ رمي بالإرجاء

Shubabah b. Sawar al-Madaini, his origin was Khurasan. It is said that his (real) name was Marwan, freed slave of Banu Fazarah: Thiqah (trustworthy), a hadith scientist, accused of believing in al-irja.23

What about the second? Al-Hafiz submits:

هشام بن الغاز بن ربيعة الجرشي بضم الجيم وفتح الراء بعدها معجمة الدمشقي نزيل بغداد ثقة

Hisham b. al-Ghaz al-Jurashi al-Dimashqi, he lived in Baghdad: Thiqah (trustworthy).24

The last narrator is like that too, according to al-Hafiz:

نافع أبو عبد الله المدني مولى ابن عمر ثقة ثبت فقيه مشهور

Nafi’, Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Madani, freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar: Thiqah (trustworthy), thabt (accurate), a well-known jurist.25

As such, the chain is sahih. Ibn ‘Umar, a prominent Sahabi, described ‘Uthman’s new adhan as a bid’ah.

Ibn Abi Shaybah has recorded a mutaba’ah as well:

حدثنا وكيع قال حدثنا بن الغاز قال سألت نافعا مولى ابن عمر عن الأذان الأول يوم الجمعة فقال :قال ابن عمر :بدعة

Waki’ - Ibn al-Ghaz:

I asked Nafi’, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, about the first adhan on Friday. He replied, “Ibn ‘Umar said: ‘It is a bid’ah’”.26

The only new name here is Waki, and this is what al-Hafiz says about him:

وكيع بن الجراح بن مليح الرؤاسي بضم الراء وهمزة ثم مهملة، أبو سفيان الكوفي ثقة حافظ عابد

Waki’ b. al-Jarah b. Malih al-Ruwasi, Abu Sufyan al-Kufi: Thiqah (trustworthy), a hadith scientist, a devout worshipper of Allah.27

So, this chain too is sahih.

However, al-Mubarakfuri thinks he has a defence for ‘Uthman:

وروى ابن أبي شيبة من طريق ابن عمر قال الأذان الأول يوم الجمعة بدعة فيحتمل أن يكون قال ذلك على سبيل الانكار ويحتمل أنه يريد أنه لم يكن في زمن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وكل ما لم يكن في زمنه يسمى بدعة لكن منها ما يكون حسنا ومنها ما يكون بخلاف ذلك وتبين بما مضى أن عثمان أحدثه لإعلام الناس بدخول وقت الصلاة

Ibn Abi Shaybah recorded through the route of Ibn ‘Umar that he said, “The first adhan on Friday is a bid’ah.” It is possible that he said that to express disapproval, and it is possible that he intended that it did not exist during the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and whatsoever did not exist during his time is called a bid’ah. However, some of them (i.e. the bid’ahs) are good and some are not. And it is clear from the previous discussion that ‘Uthman INNOVATED it to announce the arrival of the time of the Salat to the people.28

So, it was after all only a “good” bid’ah, a “good” innovation. Really?! But, how can that be, considering these words of the Messenger of Allah, documented by Imam al-Nasai:

شر الأمور محدثاتها وكل محدثة بدعة وكل بدعة ضلالة وكل ضلالة في النار

The worst of the (religious) affairs are their innovations, and every innovation is a bid’ah, and every bid’ah is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.29

Al-Albani says:

صحيح

Sahih30

‘Uthman’s invention was an “innovation” and a “bid’ah”. It was therefore a “misguidance”, which led its inventor and followers into the Fire.

Meanwhile, another innovator among the Sahabah was also Mu’awiyah b. Abi Sufyan. Imam al-Mubarakfuri confirms:

وروى ابن أبي شيبة في المصنف بإسناد صحيح عن ابن المسيب قال أول من أحدث الأذان في العيد معاوية

Ibn Abi Shaybah recorded in al-Musannaf with a sahih chain from Ibn al-Musayyab that he said: “The first to INNOVATE the azan during the ‘Eid (prayers) was Mu’awiyah.”31

His comrade-in-arms against Imam ‘Ali was an innovator too. Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah documents her testimony:

حدثنا أبو أسامة حدثنا إسماعيل بن أبي خالد عن قيس قال قالت عائشة لما حضرتها الوفاة ادفنوني مع أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فإني كنت أحدث بعده

Abu Usamah - Isma’il b. Abi Khalid - Qays:

When she was about to die, ‘Aishah said, “Bury me with the wives of the Prophet, peace be upon him, for I had INNOVATED after him.”32

And:

حدثنا أبو أسامة قال حدثنا إسماعيل عن قيس قال: قالت عائشة لما حضرتها الوفاة: ادفنوني مع أزواج النبي عليه السلام فإني كنت أحدثت بعده حدثا

Abu Usamah - Isma’il - Qays:

When she was about to die, ‘Aishah said, “Bury me with the wives of the Prophet, peace be upon him, for I had INNOVATED a heresy after him.”33

Al-Hafiz says about the first narrator:

حماد بن أسامة القرشي مولاهم الكوفي أبو أسامة مشهور بكنيته ثقة ثبت ربما دلس وكان بأخرة يحدث من كتب غيره

Hammad b. Usamah al-Qurshi, their freed slave, al-Kufi, Abu Usamah, well-known with his kunya: Thiqah (trustworthy), accurate, perhaps did tadlis. During the end of his life, he used to narrate from the books of others.34

His probable tadlis is inconsequential here, as he has narrated with explicit tahdith. He stated that he literally heard the athar from the mouth of Isma’il. Concerning Isma’il himself, al-Hafiz states:

إسماعيل بن أبي خالد الأحمسي مولاهم البجلي ثقة ثبت

Isma’il b. Abi Khalid al-Ahmasi, their freed slave, al-Bajali: Thiqah (trustworthy), accurate.35

And finally, he has this verdict about the last narrator:

قيس بن أبي حازم البجلي أبو عبد الله الكوفي ثقة

Qays b. Abi Hazim al-Bajali, Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Kufi: Thiqah (trustworthy).36

Therefore, the report is perfectly sahih. Imam al-Hakim (d. 403 H) also records:

حدثنا أبو العباس محمد بن يعقوب ثنا أبو البحتري عبد الله بن محمد بن بشر العبدي ثنا إسماعيل بن أبي خالد عن قيس بن أبي حازم قال قالت عائشة رضي عنها : وكانت تحدث نفسها أن تدفن في بيتها مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأبي بكر فقالت : إني أحدثت بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حدثا أدفنوني مع أزواجه فدفنت بالبقيع

Abu al-‘Abbas Muhammad b. Ya’qub - Abu al-Bahtari ‘Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. Bishr al-‘Abdi - Isma’il b. Abi Khalid - Qays b. Abi Hazim:

‘Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her - and she used to tell herself to be buried in her house with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and Abu Bakr - said: “I INNOVATED a heresy after the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, Bury me with his wives.” So, she was buried at al-Baqi’.37

Al-Hakim comments:

هذا حديث صحيح على شرط الشيخين

This hadith is sahih upon the standard of the two Shaykhs.38

And, Imam al-Dhahabi concurs with him:

على شرط البخاري ومسلم

Upon the standard of al-Bukhari and Muslim.39

Obviously, the list of innovations and bid’ahs by various Sahabah, including some of their most senior, is endless. We have merely quoted a very tiny number of examples in order to prevent our book from getting too big. Moreover, we believe that the few examples we have given have sufficiently served our purpose.

One of the truly incredible fallacies we experience from some of our Sunni brothers is how they quote the athar below - from Musnad Ahmad - in “retaliation” when we show them some of the aforementioned Sunni ahadith about the innovations of the various Sahabah:

حدثنا عبد الله حدثني وهب بن بقية الواسطي أخبرنا خالد بن عبد الله عن حصين عن المسيب بن عبد خير عن أبيه قال قام علي فقال خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها أبو بكر وعمر وأنا قد أحدثنا بعدهم أحداثا يقضى الله تعالى فيها ما شاء

‘Abd Allah (b. Ahmad) - Wahb b. Baqiyyah al-Wasiti - Khalid b. ‘Abd Allah - Husayn - al-Musayyab b. ‘Abd Khayr - his father:

‘Ali stood and said, “The best of this Ummah after its Prophet are Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. And we have innovated heresies after them. Allah the Most High will decide concerning them (i.e. the heresies) whatever He wills.”40

Al-Arnaut comments:

إسناده صحيح

Its chain is sahih.41

We also read:

حدثنا عبد الله حدثني أبو بحر عبد الواحد البصري ثنا أبو عوانة عن خالد بن علقمة عن عبد خير قال قال علي رضي الله عنه لما فرغ من أهل البصرة إن خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها صلى الله عليه و سلم أبو بكر وبعد أبي بكر عمر وأحدثنا أحداثا يصنع الله فيها ما شاء

‘Abd Allah (b. Ahmad) - Abu Bahr ‘Abd al-Wahid al-Basri - Abu ‘Awanah - Khalid b. ‘Alqamah - ‘Abd Khayr:

‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, after finishing with the people of Basra, said: “Verily, the best of this Ummah after its Prophet, peace be upon him, is Abu Bakr, and after Abu Bakr it is ‘Umar. And we have innovated heresies, concerning which Allah will do whatever He wills.”42

Al-Arnaut again says:

إسناده صحيح

Its chain is sahih.43

The apparent aim of quoting these reports is to “prove” that Amir al-Muminin too was also an innovator. But, who exactly are these people attempting to convince? Is it their Sunni brethren or the Shi’ah? If it is the Shi’ah, then their case is absolutely hopeless. The author of the book, Ahmad b. Hanbal, is majhul al-hal according to Shi’i rijal44 .

Therefore, everything in his entire book is dha’if by default, from the sanad point of view. His son too, the transmitter of the athar, is muhmal (untraceable), with no entry in our rijal books.45 ‘Abd al-Khayr, main narrator, is majhul as well46 . The various other narrators in the two chains of the report are equally dha’if. So, it is extremely dha’if, in fact mawdu’ (fabricated). No wonder, Grand Ayatullah al-Tustari says:

ثم إن الذهبي نقل روايتهم عنه، عن المسيب بن عبد خير، عن أبيه سمع عليا يقول: ألا أن خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها أبو بكر وعمر .ولابد أنهم وضعوها عليه

Then, al-Dhahabi quoted their report from him, from al-Musayyab b. ‘Abd Khayr, from his father, that he heard ‘Ali saying: “Verily, the best of this Ummah after its Prophet are Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.” There is NO doubt that they fabricated it and attributed it to him.47

So, by Shi’i rijali standards, the riwayah is mawdu’ (fabricated), and therefore is completely worthless to or against the Shi’ah.

But then, it is equally weak by Sunni standards. It contradicts Hadith al-Thaqalayn, Hadith al-Khalifatayn and a lot of other sahih ahadith48 . Meanwhile, Hadith al-Thaqalayn alone - with its several, distinct sahih and hasan chains - is far more authentic than it. As such, the athar of ‘Abd Khayr above has a munkar (repugnant) matn (text) on account of its inconsistency with a more reliable report, and is therefore dha’if.

Besides, it is authentically narrated in Sahih Muslim - as we have already quoted in this book - that ‘Ali considered both Abu Bakr and ‘Umar to be dishonest liars and traitors.

How then would he have declared such people to be the best of this Ummah?! Amir al-Muminin was far more reasonable than that.

In all, we see that the warning of our dear Prophet - that following the Ahl al-Bayt prevents from misguidance - has full merit. Those Sahabah who refused to obey Hadith al-Thaqalayn later deviated from the Right Path, and became innovators. If they had chosen the offspring of Muhammad as their masters and supreme guides after him, they certainly would have remained upon the Kitab and the Sunnah, in line with the assurance in Hadith al-Thaqalayn. We too should learn from this costly mistake of the Sahabah, and set straight our Path to Allah till death.

Notes

1. Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad b. ‘Abd al-Halim b. Taymiyyah al-Harrani, Minhaj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyyah (Muasassat Qurtubah; 1st edition, 1406 H) [annotator: Dr. Muhammad Rashad Salim], vol. 7, p. 450

2. There were a few exceptions though, such as those of them who accused the Rasul of mental illness on the tragic Thursday. But, the vast majority of them remained upon the truth until after the death of the Prophet.

3. In the Qur’an, Allah has made His Pleasure and all His promises of Paradise conditional upon the steadfastness (istiqamah) of the believer upon the Right Guidance. The moment he slides back, everything he had previously earned goes up in smoke. See Qur’an 41:30-32 and 46:13-14. Even Prophet Muhammad too was ordered to be steadfast in his Islam. See Qur’an 11:112. In recognition of this fact, Allah commanded him to tell his Ummah that he (Muhammad) too would enter Hellfire if he slid back. See Qur’an 2:120, 10:15 and 69:44-47. So, the fact that Allah was once pleased with a Sahabi, or that he had promised him Paradise during the lifetime of His Messenger, is not sufficient. It has to be shown that the Sahabi did not later slide back from the Right Guidance by innovating bid’ahs or committing grave atrocities.

4. Abu al-Husayn Muslim b. al-Hajjaj al-Qushayri al-Naysaburi, Sahih Muslim (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi) [annotator: Muhammad Fuad ‘Abd al-Baqi], vol. 2, p. 896, # 1222 (157)

5. Abu ‘Abd Allah Ahmad b. Hanbal al-Shaybani, Musnad (Cairo: Muasassat Qurtubah) [annotator: Shu’ayb al-Arnaut], vol. 4, p. 393, # 19523

6. Ibid

7. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Ahmad b. Shu’ayb al-Nasai, al-Mujtaba min al-Sunan (Halab: Maktab al-Matbu’at al-Islamiyyah; 2nd edition, 1406 H) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 5, p. 153, # 2736

8. Ibid

9. The case of ‘Umar seems to be even more serious than that of the Sahabah who will be charged with apostasy at the Lake-Fount. From the look of it, he will be in a worse category than them. At least, those Sahabah were upon the Qur’an and Sunnah, and upon the correct iman and tawhid, throughout the lifetime of the Messenger. They only apostatized through their bid’ahs after his death. By contrast, there is evidence which casts serious doubts on the iman of ‘Umar b. al-Khattab during the time of the Prophet. For instance, he was the leader of the group of Sahabah who accused the Messenger of Allah of “raving madness”. No true believer would ever do that. Anyway, our Sunni brothers insist that he was a perfect believer while the Prophet lived. Even then, they cannot deny the fact that he turned an “innovator” after the death of the Rasul.

10. Abu al-Husayn Muslim b. al-Hajjaj al-Qushayri al-Naysaburi, Sahih Muslim (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi) [annotator: Muhammad Fuad ‘Abd al-Baqi], vol. 2, p. 896, # 1223 (158)

11. Abu ‘Abd Allah Ahmad b. Hanbal al-Shaybani, Musnad (Cairo: Muasassat Qurtubah) [annotator: Shu’ayb al-Arnaut], vol. 1, p. 135, # 1139

12. Abu Dawud Sulayman b. al-Ash’ath al-Sijistani al-Azdi, Sunan (Dar al-Fikr) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 1, p. 352, # 1087

13. Ibid

14. Abu al-‘Ala Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Abd al-Rahim al-Mubarakfuri, Tuhfat al-Ahwazi bi Sharh Jami’ al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1410 H), vol. 3, p. 39

15. Abu Bakr Muhammad b. Ishaq b. Khuzaymah al-Sulami al-Naysaburi, Sahih (Beirut: al-Maktab al-Islami; 1390 H) [annotators: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani and Dr. Muhammad Mustafa al-A’zami], vol. 3, p. 137, # 1774

16. Ibid

17. Ibid

18. ‘Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. Abi Shaybah Ibrahim b. ‘Uthman b. Abi Bakr b. Abi Shaybah al-Kufi al-‘Ubsi, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah fi al-Ahadith wa al-Athar (Dar al-Fikr; 1st edition, 1409 H) [annotator: Prof. Sa’id al-Laham], vol. 2, p. 48, # 6

19. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Taqrib al-Tahdhib (Beirut: Dar al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah; 2nd edition, 1415 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Ata], vol. 1, p. 90, # 417

20. Ibid, vol. 1, p. 123, # 654

21. Shams al-Din Muhammad b. Ahmad b. ‘Uthman al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’lam al-Nubala (Beirut: Muasassat al-Risalah; 1413 H) [annotator of the fifth volume: Shu’ayb al-Arnaut], vol. 5, p. 326, # 160

22. ‘Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. Abi Shaybah Ibrahim b. ‘Uthman b. Abi Bakr b. Abi Shaybah al-Kufi al-‘Ubsi, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah fi al-Ahadith wa al-Athar (Dar al-Fikr; 1st edition, 1409 H) [annotator: Prof. Sa’id al-Laham], vol. 2, p. 48, # 3

23. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Taqrib al-Tahdhib (Beirut: Dar al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah; 2nd edition, 1415 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Ata], vol. 1, p. 410, # 2741

24. Ibid, vol. 2, p. P. 268, # 7331

25. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 239, # 7111

26. ‘Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. Abi Shaybah Ibrahim b. ‘Uthman b. Abi Bakr b. Abi Shaybah al-Kufi al-‘Ubsi, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah fi al-Ahadith wa al-Athar (Dar al-Fikr; 1st edition, 1409 H) [annotator: Prof. Sa’id al-Laham], vol. 2, p. 48, # 7

27. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Taqrib al-Tahdhib (Beirut: Dar al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah; 2nd edition, 1415 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Ata], vol. 2, p. pp. 283-284, # 7441

28. Abu al-‘Ala Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Abd al-Rahim al-Mubarakfuri, Tuhfat al-Ahwazi bi Sharh Jami’ al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1410 H), vol. 3, p. 40

29. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Ahmad b. Shu’ayb al-Nasai, al-Mujtaba min al-Sunan (Halab: Maktab Matbu’at al-Islamiyyah; 2nd edition, 1406 H) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 3, p. 188, # 1578

30. Ibid

31. Abu al-‘Ala Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Abd al-Rahim al-Mubarakfuri, Tuhfat al-Ahwazi bi Sharh Jami’ al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1410 H), vol. 3, p. 62

32. ‘Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. Abi Shaybah Ibrahim b. ‘Uthman b. Abi Bakr b. Abi Shaybah al-Kufi al-‘Ubsi, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah fi al-Ahadith wa al-Athar (Dar al-Fikr; 1st edition, 1409 H) [annotator: Prof. Sa’id al-Laham], vol. 3, p. 230, # 4

33. Ibid, vol. 8, p. 708, # 16

34. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Taqrib al-Tahdhib (Beirut: Dar al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah; 2nd edition, 1415 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Ata], vol. 1, pp. 236-237, # 1492

35. Ibid, vol. 1, p. 93, # 439

36. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 32, # 5583

37. Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Hakim al-Naysaburi, al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-’Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1411 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Ata], vol. 4, p. 7, # 6717

38. Ibid

39. Ibid

40. Abu ‘Abd Allah Ahmad b. Hanbal al-Shaybani, Musnad (Cairo: Muasassat Qurtubah) [annotator: Shu’ayb al-Arnaut], vol. 1, p. 115, # 926 and vol. 1, p. 125, # 1032

41. Ibid

42. Ibid, vol. 1, p. 125, # 1031

43. Ibid

44. Muhammad al-Jawahiri, al-Mufid min Mu’jam al-Rijal al-Hadith (Qum: Manshurat Maktabah al-Mahalati; 2nd edition, 1424 H), p. 42, # 855

45. ‘Ali al-Namazi al-Shahrudi, Mustadrakat ‘Ilm Rijal al-Hadith (Tehran: Haydari; 1st edition, 1414 H), vol. 4, p. 475, # 8043

46. Muhammad al-Jawahiri, al-Mufid min Mu’jam al-Rijal al-Hadith (Qum: Manshurat Maktabah al-Mahalati; 2nd edition, 1424 H), p. 306, # 6304

47. Muhammad Taqi al-Tustari, Qamus al-Rijal (Qum: Muasassat al-Nashr al-Islami; 1st edition, 1422 H), vol. 11, p. 165, # 8553

48. We have investigated a lot of them in both our previous books: ‘Ali: The Best of the Sahabah and On the Khilafah of ‘Ali over Abu Bakr.

5) Hadith Al-Thaqalayn: The Prophet At Ghadir Khumm (Part 3)

The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alaihi wa alihi, conveyed Hadith al-Thaqalayn in different words to absolutely ensure that the message was not lost on his audiences. At ‘Arafat, he declared:

يا أيها الناس إني قد تركت فيكم ما إن أخذتم به لن تضلوا كتاب الله وعترتي أهل بيتي

O mankind! I have left behind over you that which if you hold fast to it you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and my offspring, my Ahl al-Bayt.

Later, at Ghadir Khumm, he again statements:

أنا تارك فيكم ثقلين أولهما كتاب الله فيه الهدى والنور من استمسك به وأخذ به كان على الهدى ومن أخطأه ضل فخذوا بكتاب الله تعالى واستمسكوا به وأهل بيتي

I am leaving behind over you Two Weighty Things (thaqalayn). The first of them is the Book of Allah. In it there is guidance and light. Whoever adheres to it and holds fast to it, he will be upon guidance; and whosoever belittles it, he will go astray. So hold fast to the Book of Allah the Most High and adhere to it and my Ahl al-Bayt.

Then, at that same Ghadir Khumm, he made some other pronouncements, which were clearly intended to drive home the point more forcefully. Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir (d. 774 H) affirms this in his Tafsir:

و في الصحيح: أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال في خطبته بغَدِير خُمّ: "إني تارك فيكم الثقلين: كتاب الله وعترتي، وإنهما لم يفترقا حتى يردا علي الحوض "

In the sahih report, it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said in his sermon at Ghadir Khumm: “I am leaving behind over you the Two Weighty Things (al-thaqalayn): the Book of Allah and my offspring. Verily, both shall never separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount.”1

Meanwhile, Imam al-Hakim (d. 403 H) has equally recorded this riwayah which identifies the main narrator of the hadith:

حدثنا أبو بكر محمد بن الحسين بن مصلح الفقيه بالري ثنا محمد بن أيوب ثنا يحيى بن المغيرة السعدي ثنا جرير بن عبد الحميد عن الحسن بن عبد الله النخعي عن مسلم بن صبيح عن زيد بن أرقم رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إني تارك فيكم الثقلين كتاب الله وأهل بيتي وإنهما لن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض

Abu Bakr Muhammad b. al-Husayn b. Musalih al-Faqih - Muhammad b. Ayub - Yahya b. al-Mughirah al-Sa’di - Jarir b. ‘Abd al-Hamid - al-Hasan b. ‘Abd Allah al-Nakha’i - Muslim b. Subayh - Zayd b. Arqam, may Allah be pleased with him:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “I am leaving behind over you the Two Weighty Things (al-thaqalayn): the Book of Allah and my Ahl al-Bayt. Verily, both shall never separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount.”2

Al-Hakim states:

هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد على شرط الشيخين

This hadith has a sahih chain upon the standard of the two Shaykhs.3

Imam al-Dhahabi (d. 748 H) concurs:

على شرط البخاري ومسلم

Upon the standard of al-Bukhari and Muslim4

Imam al-Tabarani (d. 360 H) too has an additional sanad for the hadith:

حدثنا علي بن عبد العزيز ثنا عمرو بن عون الواسطي ثنا خالد بن عبد الله عن الحسن بن عبيد الله عن أبي الضحى عن زيد بن أرقم قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : إني تارك فيكم الثقلين كتاب الله وعترتي أهل بيتي وإنهما لن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض

‘Ali b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz - ‘Amr b. ‘Awn al-Wasiti - Khalid b. ‘Abd Allah - al-Hasan b. ‘Ubayd Allah - Abu al-Dhuha - Zayd b. Arqam:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “I am leaving behind over you the Two Weighty Things (al-thaqalayn): the Book of Allah and my offspring, my Ahl al-Bayt. Verily, both shall never separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount.”5

Shaykh al-Arnaut says about this hadith:

وهو صحيح

It is sahih6

This is an authentication of all the parts of the hadith by our typically reluctant Shaykh. This, of course, means a lot.

Meanwhile, there is no sin in independently verifying the authenticity of the hadith. As such, al-Dhahabi says about the first narrator:

علي بن عبد العزيز ابن المرزبان ابن سابور: الامام، الحافظ، الصدوق، أبو الحسن البغوي

‘Ali b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz b. al-Marzaban b. Sabur: the Imam, the hafiz (hadith scientist), the saduq (very truthful) narrator, Abu al-Hasan al-Baghwi.7

Elsewhere, he adds:

علي بن عبد العزيز البغوي الحافظ المجاور بمكة. ثقة، لكنه يطلب على التحديث، ويعتذر بأنه محتاج. قال الدارقطني: ثقة مأمون

‘Ali b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Baghwi: the hafiz (hadith scientist), adjacent to Makkah: Thiqah (trustworthy). However, he used to request (payments) for narrating ahadith, and he is excused on the ground that he was needy. Al-Daraqutni said: “He was thiqah (trustworthy) and totally reliable.”8

Al-Hafiz (d. 852 H) states about the second narrator:

عمرو بن عون بن أوس الواسطي أبو عثمان البزاز البصري ثقة ثبت

‘Amr b. ‘Awn b. Aws al-Wasiti, Abu ‘Uthman al-Bazzaz al-Basri: Thiqah (trustworthy), thabt (accurate).9

Concerning the third narrator, al-Hafiz also says:

خالد بن عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن بن يزيد الطحان الواسطي المزني مولاهم ثقة ثبت

Khalid b. ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Yazid al-Tahan al-Wasiti al-Muzni, their freed slave: Thiqah (trustworthy), thabt (accurate).10

The fourth narrator is thiqah (trustworthy) too, as affirmed by al-Hafiz:

الحسن بن عبيد الله بن عروة النخعي أبو عروة الكوفي ثقة فاضل

Al-Hasan b. ‘Ubayd Allah b. ‘Urwah al-Nakha’i, Abu ‘Urwah al-Kufi: Thiqah (trustworthy), fadhil (virtuous).11

Finally, al-Hafiz proclaims about the last narrator:

مسلم بن صبيح بالتصغير الهمداني أبو الضحى الكوفي العطار مشهور بكنيته ثقة فاضل

Muslim b. Subayh al-Hamdani, Abu al-Dhuha al-Kufi al-‘Attar, well-known with his kunya: Thiqah (trustworthy), fadhil (virtuous).12

Imam Muslim (d. 261 H) also states concerning him:

أبو الضحى مسلم بن صبيح سمع ابن عباس والنعمان بن بشير وزيد بن أرقم روى عنه الأعمش وحبيب بن أبي ثابت

Abu al-Dhuha, Muslim b. Subayh: He heard (ahadith from) Ibn ‘Abbas, al-Nu’man b. Bashir and Zayd b. Arqam. Al-A’mash and Habib b. Abi Thabit narrated from him.13

So, all the narrators are thiqah (trustworthy), and the sanad, of course, is fully connected. As such, it is a perfectly sahih chain.

But, there is more! Imam al-Tabarani again documents:

حدثنا معاذ بن المثنى ثنا علي بن المديني ثنا جرير بن عبد الحميد عن الحسن بن عبيد الله عن أبي الضحى عن زيد بن أرقم قال قال رسول الله : إني تارك فيكم الثقلين كتاب الله وعترتي أهل بيتي وإنهما لن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض

Mu’adh b. al-Muthanna - ‘Ali b. al-Madini - Jarir b. ‘Abd al-Hamid - al-Hasan b. ‘Ubayd Allah - Abu al-Dhuha - Zayd b. Arqam:

The Messenger of Allah said: “I am leaving behind over you the Two Weighty Things (al-thaqalayn): the Book of Allah and my offspring, my Ahl al-Bayt. Verily, both shall never separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount.”14

There are only three new names in this chain.

Al-Dhahabi says about the first narrator:

معاذ بن المثنى أبو المثنى: ثقة، متقن

Mu’adh b. al-Muthanna, Abu al-Muthanna: Thiqah (trustworthy), extremely precise.15

About the second narrator, al-Hafiz states:

علي بن عبد الله بن جعفر بن نجيح السعدي مولاهم أبو الحسن بن المديني بصري ثقة ثبت إمام أعلم أهل عصره بالحديث وعلله

‘Ali b. ‘Abd Allah b. Ja’far b. Najih al-Sa’di, their freed slave, Abu al-Hasan b. al-Madini Basri: Thiqah (trustworthy), thabt (accurate), an Imam, the most knowledgeable of his time in hadith and its ‘ilal.16

The third narrator is like that too, as al-Hafiz submits:

جرير بن عبد الحميد بن قرط بضم القاف وسكون الراء بعدها طاء مهملة الضبي الكوفي نزيل الري وقاضيها ثقة صحيح الكتاب قيل كان في آخر عمره يهم من حفظه

Jarir b. ‘Abd al-Hamid b. Qurt al-Dhabi al-Kufi, a resident of al-Rayy and its judge: Thiqah (trustworthy), sahih al-kitab (i.e. whatever he narrated from his books was sahih). It is said that he used to hallucinate due to his memory during the last part of his lifetime.17

Al-Hafiz refers to the criticism against Jarir with “it is said”, which is a term employed to express doubt. In other words, al-Hafiz does NOT confirm that Jarir really used to hallucinate during the last part of his lifetime. Secondly, even if the allegation were accepted, it would still not harm Jarir. The claim was that he hallucinated, but not “a lot”. That shows that his memory problem was not serious, and therefore would not affect his ahadith. In any case, there is a mutaba’ah for Jarir by Khalid b. ‘Abd Allah. Therefore, this second chain is impeccably sahih too, in any case.

Notes

1. Abu al-Fida Isma’il b. ‘Umar b. Kathir al-Qurashi al-Dimashqi, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim (Dar al-Taybah li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’; 2nd edition, 1420 H) [annotator: Sami b. Muhammad Salamah], vol. 7, p. 201

2. Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Hakim al-Naysaburi, al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-’Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1411 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Ata], vol. 3, p. 160, # 4711

3. Ibid

4. Ibid

5. Abu al-Qasim Sulayman b. Ahmad b. Ayub al-Tabarani, Mu’jam al-Kabir (Mosul: Maktabah al-‘Ulum wa al-Hukm; 2nd edition, 1404 H) [annotator: Hamadi b. ‘Abd al-Majid al-Salafi], vol. 5, p.169, # 4980

6. Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Wazir al-Yamani, al-‘Awasim wa al-Qawasim fi al-Dhabb ‘an Sunnah Abi al-Qasim (Beirut: Muasassat al-Risalah; 2nd edition, 1416 H) [annotator: Shu’ayb al-Arnaut], vol. 1, p. 178, footnote # 1

7. Shams al-Din Muhammad b. Ahmad b. ‘Uthman al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’lam al-Nubala (Beirut: Muasassat al-Risalah; 9th edition, 1413 H) [annotators: Shu’ayb al-Arnaut and ‘Ali Abu Zayd], vol. 13, p. 348, # 164

8. Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. Ahmad b. ‘Uthman al-Dhahabi, Mizan al-I’tidal fi Naqd al-Rijal (Beirut: Dar al-Ma’rifah) [annotator: ‘Ali Muhammad al-Bajawi], vol. 3, p. 143, # 5882

9. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Taqrib al-Tahdhib (Beirut: Dar al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah; 2nd edition, 1415 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Ata], vol. 1, p. 742, # 5104

10. Ibid, vol. 1, p. 259, # 1652

11. Ibid, vol. 1, p. 206, # 1258

12. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 179, # 6653

13. Muslim b. al-Hajjaj, al-Kuna wa al-Asma (Madinah al-Munawwarah: al-Jami’ah al-Islamiyyah; 1st edition, 1404 H) [annotator: ‘Abd al-Rahim Muhammad Ahmad al-Qushqari], vol. 1, P. 455, 1722

14. Abu al-Qasim Sulayman b. Ahmad b. Ayub al-Tabarani, Mu’jam al-Kabir (Mosul: Maktabah al-‘Ulum wa al-Hukm; 2nd edition, 1404 H) [annotator: Hamadi b. ‘Abd al-Majid al-Salafi], vol. 5, p.170, # 4981

15. Shams al-Din Muhammad b. Ahmad b. ‘Uthman al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’lam al-Nubala (Beirut: Muasassat al-Risalah; 9th edition, 1413 H) [annotators: Shu’ayb al-Arnaut and ‘Ali Abu Zayd], vol. 13, p. 527, # 259

16. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Taqrib al-Tahdhib (Beirut: Dar al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah; 2nd edition, 1415 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Ata], vol. 1, p. 697, # 4776

17. Ibid, vol. 1, p. 158, # 918

6) Hadith Al-Thaqalayn: The Prophet At Ghadir Khumm (Part 4)

The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alaihi wa alihi, proclaimed at Ghadir Khumm to all humanity:

إني تارك فيكم الثقلين كتاب الله وعترتي أهل بيتي وإنهما لن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض

I am leaving behind over you the Two Weighty Things (al-thaqalayn): the Book of Allah and my offspring, my Ahl al-Bayt. Verily, both shall never separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount.

The Qur’an and the offspring of the Prophet are referred to as “the Two Weighty Things” (al-thaqalayn) in the ahadith. Both of them are “left behind over” us by him, and are further described as being eternally inseparable till the Day of al-Qiyamah. What exactly did the Rasul intend with these statements?

When the leader of a nation or community tells his people “I will die soon. But, I have left behind over you so-and-so”, what possibly could he be telling them? It is clear, of course. The designated person - “left behind over” his people - is to take his place and perform his role among them. Hadith al-Thaqalayn, obviously, is in this sense too. The Prophet was declaring the Qur’an and his offspring as his substitutes over his Ummah after him. Shaykh al-Arnaut too has something for us in this regard:

قال السندي: قوله: "إني تارك فيكم"، أي: بعد موتي

الثًقلين: الثقل، بفتحتين: كل شيء نفيس مصون، ومنه هذا الحديث، كذا في "القاموس ".

أحدهما أكبر: هو الكتاب، لأنه إمام الكل: العترة، وغيرهم …

وعترتي: كأنه صلى الله عليه وسلم جعلهم قائمين مقامه، فكما كان في حياته القرآن والنبي، كذلك بعده القرآن وأهل بيته، ولكن قيامهم مقامه في وجوب المحبة والمراعاة والإحسان، لا في العمل بأقوالهم وآرائهم، بل المرجع في العمل: الكتاب والسنة، والله تعالى أعلم

Al-Sindi said: “His statement {I am leaving behind over you}: that is, after me death.

{The Two Weighty Things}: every priceless treasure is called a ‘weighty thing’, and this hadith is from it, as stated in al-Qamus.

{One of them is greater}: that is the Book, because it is the Imam for everyone - whether the offspring (of the Prophet) or others…

{and my offspring}: it is like he, peace be upon him, appointed them TO STAND IN HIS PLACE, such that just as it was the Qur’an and the Prophet during his lifetime, it was the Qur’an and his Ahl al-Bayt after him. However, their standing in his place is (only) with regards to the (Ummah’s) obligation of love, kindness and care (to them), not in adherence to their words and opinions. Rather, the reference for actions are the Book and the Sunnah, and Allah the Most High knows best.”1

This is further strengthened by the fact that he called them both “the Two Weighty Things”, al-thaqalayn. Imam Ibn Manzur (d. 711 H), the leading classical Sunni linguist, explains what this means:

وروي عن النبي، صلى الله عليه وسلم، أنه قال في آخر عمره: إني تارك فيكم الثقلين: كتاب الله وعترتي، فجعلهما كتاب الله عز وجل وعترته، وقد تقدم ذكر العترة. وقال ثعلب: سميا ثقلين لأن الأخذ بهما ثقيل والعمل بهما ثقيل، قال: وأصل الثقل أن العرب تقول لكل شئ نفيس خطير مصون ثقل، فسماهما ثقلين إعظاما لقدرهما وتفخيما لشأنهما

It is narrated from the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he said during the end of his lifetime: “I am leaving behind over you the Two Weighty Things (al-thaqalayn): the Book of Allah and my offspring.” So, he identified them both as the Book of Allah the Almighty and his offspring. The word “itrah (offspring)” has already been explained. Tha’lab said: “He named them thaqalayn because holding fast to them both and following them both are weighty (responsibilities).” He said: “The origin of (the word) thaqal is that Arabs referred to every priceless weighty thing as a thaqal. Therefore, he named them thaqalayn to highlight their significance and to extol their importance2

Imam Ibn al-Athir (d. 606 H), an ace Sunni hadith linguist, has the same submission:

] إني تارك فيكم الثقلين : كتاب الله وعترت] سماهما ثقلين لأن الأخذ بهما والعمل بهما ثقيل ويقال لكك خطير نفيس ثقل فسماهما ثقلين إعظاما لقدرهما وتفخيما لشأنهما

[I am leaving among you the Two Weighty Things: the Book of Allah and my offspring], he named them both thaqalayn because holding fast to them both and following them are weighty (responsibilities). And every priceless weighty thing is called thaqal. Therefore, he named them thaqalayn to highlight their significance and to extol their importance.3

Another leading Sunni linguist, al-Zubaydi (d. 1205 H), backs him:

وكذلك الحديث} إني تارك فيكم الثقلين، كتاب الله وعترتي {جعلهما ثقلين إعظاما لقدرهما وتفخيما لهما. وقال ثعلب: سماهما ثقلين؛ لأن الأخذ بهما والعمل بهما ثقيل

And it is like that in the hadith: “I am leaving among you the Two Weighty Things (al-thaqalayn): the Book of Allah and my offspring”. He called them thaqalayn to highlight their significance and to extol them both. Tha’lab said: “He named them thaqalayn because holding fast to them both and following them both are weighty (responsibilities).”4

Yet another leading Sunni linguist, Abu Mansur al-Azhari (d. 370 H), confirms them:

روي عن النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) أنَّه قال في مرضه الذي مات فيه: (إني تارك فيكم الثقلين: كتابَ الله وعِتْرتي، ولن يفترقا حتى يردا علي الحوض)، فسَّر النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) الثقلين فجعلهما كتاب الله جلّ وعزّ وعِترته عليه السلام؛ وقد فسّرت العترة فيما تقدّم وهم جماعةُ عشيرته الأدْنَوْن. وقال أبو العباس أحمد بن يحيى: سميا ثقلين لأن الأخذ بهما ثقيل، والعمل بهما ثقيل

It is narrated from the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he said in his fatal illness: (I am leaving behind over you the Two Weighty Things: the Book of Allah and my offspring. Both shall never separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount). The Prophet, peace be upon him, explained the Two Weighty Things and identified them both as the Book of Allah the Almighty and his offspring, peace be upon him. The word “itrah (offspring)” has already been explained, and they are his closest blood relatives. Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad b. Yahya said: “They are named thaqalayn because holding fast to them both is a weighty (responsibility), and following them both is also a weighty (responsibility).”5

Imam al-Nawawi (d. 676 H), the well-known hadith scientist, tables the view of the classical Sunni scholars as well:

قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم( وانا تارك فيكم ثقلين) فذكر كتاب الله وأهل بيته قال العلماء سميا ثقلين لعظمهما وكبير شأنهما وقيل العمل بهما

His statement, peace be upon him (I am leaving behind over you Two Weighty Things) and he mentioned the Book of Allah and his Ahl al-Bayt. The ‘ulama said: He named them thaqalayn due to their magnificence and the greatness of their significance. It is also said: (they are named thaqalayn due to the fact that) both are to be followed.6

And Shaykh ‘Abd al-Baqi, in his annotation of Sahih Muslim, writes these words under Hadith al-Thaqalayn:

(ثقلين) قال العلماء سميا ثقلين لعظمهما وكبير شأنهما وقيل لثقل العمل بها

(Two Weighty Things [thaqalayn]): The ‘ulama said: He named them thaqalayn due to their magnificence and the greatness of their significance. It is also said: (they are named thaqalayn due to the fact that) both are to be followed.7

So, our Prophet indicated that he was leaving behind the Qur’an and his offspring as his replacements over us after him. He equally very strongly emphasized that we must “adhere to” and “follow” both the Qur’an and his offspring after him, by naming them “the Two Weighty Things” (al-thaqalayn). It is thus impossible to miss his message in any circumstance: the offspring of the Messenger of Allah are his khalifahs and the masters and guides over his Ummah after him.

Meanwhile, the Rasul also described his offspring as being eternally inseparable from the Qur’an until the Day of Resurrection:

وانهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا على الحوض

Verily, both shall NEVER separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount.

What does this mean?

There is no doubt: the Messenger of Allah is the most eloquent of all of his Lord’s creation. This is why he was able to convey some of his most significant messages through that single statement. He absolutely ruled out the possibility of any form of separation between the Qur’an and his offspring at any moment in the lifetime of this earth. So, we ask:

Does sin cause a separation between us and the Qur’an in our sinful acts? Of course, there is no doubt about this! This means then that the offspring of the Prophet never commit sinful acts. Otherwise, they would be separated from the Qur’an, at least for the duration of their sinful acts.

Does heresy - whether in beliefs or actions - cause a separation between us and the Qur’an? There is no doubt about this too. Heresies of all sorts contradict the Qur’an, and whoever possesses any heresy is in contradiction to the Book of Allah.

Therefore, whatsoever the offspring of the Prophet believe, say, do or teach is the true, pure guidance from Allah and His Messenger. It is absolutely impossible for the offspring to be heretical in absolutely anything. Otherwise, they would be separated from the Qur’an, at least for the duration of the heresy.

Allah and His Messenger have joined together the Qur’an and the offspring, and have made them eternally inseparable till the Day of al-Qiyamah. This is also a command to every believer not to ever separate them in any circumstance. If you love the Qur’an, you must love the offspring too. If you respect the Qur’an, you must respect the offspring too. If you follow the Qur’an, you must follow the offspring too. If you obey the Qur’an, you must obey the offspring too. If you consider the Qur’an to be your Imam, you must take the offspring too as your Imams. If you consider the Qur’an to be your supreme guide in any affair, you must take the offspring too as your supreme guides in all your affairs.

This last point is re-emphasized by ‘Allamah al-Albani (d. 1420 H) in these words while writing about the Qur’an and Sunnah:

بل يجب اعتبار الكتاب والسنة مصدرا واحدا لا فصل بينهما أبدا كما أشار إلى ذلك قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " ألا إني أتيت القرآن ومثله معه " يعني السنة وقوله: " لن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض "

Rather, it is obligatory to consider the Book and the Sunnah as a single source, with no difference between them both, AS INDICATED IN THE STATEMENT of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him: “I have been given the Qur’an and its likeness with it”, that is the Sunnah, AND HIS STATEMENT, “Both shall never separate until they meet me at the Lake-Fount.”8

The ‘Allamah considers the phrase “both shall never separate from each other” to be an order against discrimination between the two. Of course, he has applied the phrase to the Sunnah, even though its only reliable chains link with the offspring of the Prophet and nothing else. Yet, we understand from al-Albani’s submission that it is “obligatory” to consider the Qur’an and the offspring as a single source of guidance and knowledge in Islam, with no difference between them both, as indicated in the words of the Prophet: “both shall never separate from each other”. As such, whosoever follows the Qur’an in all matters, but does not obey the offspring in all matters, has defied the Order of Allah and His Messenger, and has thereby become a plain heretic.

Notes

1. Abu ‘Abd Allah Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Hanbal b. Hilal b. Asad al-Shaybani, Musnad (Muasassat al-Risalah; 1st edition, 1421 H) [annotators: Shu’ayb al-Arnaut, ‘Adil Murshid and others], vol. 17, pp. 174-175, # 11104. Al-Sindi’s submission is indeed very weird. The Ahl al-Bayt stand in the place of the Prophet in his Ummah after him. Yet, none is obliged to follow them! Moreover, al-Sindi seems to think that following the Ahl al-Bayt leads away from the Kitab and Sunnah! Alas, they are actually the purest route to the Qur’an and the original teachings of Muhammad.

2. Abu al-Fadhl Jamal al-Din Muhammad b. Mukram b. Manzur al-Afriqi al-Misri, Lisan al-‘Arab (Beirut: Dar Sadir; 1st edition), vol. 11, p. 85

3. Abu Sa’adat al-Mubarak b. Muhammad, Ibn al-Athir al-Jazari, al-Nihayah fi Gharib al-Hadith wa al-Athar (Beirut: al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah; 1399 AH) [annotator: Tahir Ahmad al-Zawi and Mahmud Muhammad al-Tanahi], vol. 1, p. 216

4. Muhibb al-Din Abu Faydh Sayyid Muhammad Murtadha al-Husayni al-Wasiti al-Zubaydi al-Hanafi, Taj al-‘Urus min Jawahir al-Qamus (Beirut: Dar al-Fikr; 1414 H), vol. 14, p. 85

5. Abu Mansur Muhammad b. Ahmad al-Azhari, Tahdhib al-Lughah (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi; 1st edition, 2001 CE), vol. 9, p. 78

6. Abu Zakariyyah Yahya b. Sharaf al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim (Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-‘Arabi; 1407 H) vol. 15, p. 180

7. Abu al-Husayn Muslim b. al-Hajjaj al-Qushayri al-Naysaburi, Sahih Muslim (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi) [annotator: Muhammad Fuad ‘Abd al-Baqi], vol. 4, p. 1873, # 2408 (36)

8. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din b. al-Hajj Nuh b. Tajati b. Adam al-Ashqudri al-Albani, Manzilah al-Sunnah fi al-Islam (Kuwait: Dar al-Salafiyyah; 4th edition, 1404 H), p. 22

7) Hadith Al-Thaqalayn: The Prophet At Unindentified Places

There are reports of Hadith al-Thaqalayn which do not name the locations where it was delivered. It is therefore possible that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alaihi wa alihi, also uttered them at Ghadir Khumm, in addition to his other pronouncements. Meanwhile, it is equally probable that the sermons were given at other places, before or after Ghadir Khumm. Let us start with this riwayah by Imam al-Fasawi (d. 277 H):

حدثنا يحيى قال :حدثنا جرير عن الحسن بن عبيد الله عن أبي الضحى عن زيد بن أرقم قال: النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم :إني تارك فيكم ما إن تمسكتم به لن تضلوا كتاب الله عز وجل وعترتي أهل بيتي وإنهما لن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض

Yahya - Jarir - al-Hasan b. ‘Ubayd Allah - Abu al-Dhuha - Zayd b. Arqam:

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “I am leaving behind over you that which if you adhere to it you will never go astray: the Book of Allah the Almighty and my offspring, my Ahl al-Bayt. Verily, both shall never separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount.”1

Al-Hafiz (d. 852 H) states concerning the first narrator:

يحيى بن يحيى بن بكير بن عبد الرحمن التميمي أبو زكريا النيسابوري ثقة ثبت إمام

Yahya b. Yahya b. Bukayr b. ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Tamimi, Abu Zakariyyah al-Naysaburi: Thiqah (trustworthy), thabt (accurate), an Imam.2

What about the second narrator? Al-Hafiz submits:

جرير بن عبد الحميد بن قرط بضم القاف وسكون الراء بعدها طاء مهملة الضبي الكوفي نزيل الري وقاضيها ثقة

Jarir b. ‘Abd al-Hamid b. Qurt al-Dhabi al-Kufi, a resident of al-Rayy and its judge: Thiqah (trustworthy).3

The third narrator is thiqah (trustworthy) as well, according to al-Hafiz:

الحسن بن عبيد الله بن عروة النخعي أبو عروة الكوفي ثقة فاضل

Al-Hasan b. ‘Ubayd Allah b. ‘Urwah al-Nakha’i, Abu ‘Urwah al-Kufi: Thiqah (trustworthy), fadhil (virtuous).4

And the last narrator is like that too, as affirmed by al-Hafiz:

مسلم بن صبيح بالتصغير الهمداني أبو الضحى الكوفي العطار مشهور بكنيته ثقة فاضل

Muslim b. Subayh al-Hamdani, Abu al-Dhuha al-Kufi al-‘Attar, well-known with his kunya: Thiqah (trustworthy), fadhil (virtuous).5

All the narrators are thiqah (trustworthy), and the chain is fully connected. So, it is an absolutely sahih chain!

Meanwhile, Imam al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 H) has also recorded a shahid for it:

حدثنا علي بن المنذر كوفي حدثنا محمد بن فضيل قال حدثنا الأعمش عن عطية عن أبي سعيد و الأعمش عن حبيب بن أبي ثابت عن زيد بن أرقم رضي الله عنهما قالا : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم إني تارك فيكم ما إن تمسكتم به لن تضلوا بعدي أحدهما أعظم من الآخر كتاب الله حبل ممدود من السماء إلى الأرض وعترتي أهل بيتي ولن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض فانظروا كيف تخلفوني فيهما

‘Ali b. al-Mundhir Kufi - Muhammad b. Fudhayl - al-A’mash - ‘Atiyyah - Abu Sa’id (al-Khudri): AND al-‘Amash - Habib b. Abi Thabit - Zayd b. Arqam, may Allah be pleased with them both:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “I am leaving behind over you that which if you adhere to it you will never go astray after me. One of them is greater than the other: the Book of Allah - a rope stretching from the heaven to the earth - and my offspring, my Ahl al-Bayt. Both shall never separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount. Therefore, watch carefully how you treat them after me.”6

Al-Tirmidhi says:

وهذا حديث حسن غريب

And this hadith is hasan gharib (i.e. has a hasan chain).7

And ‘Allamah al-Albani (d. 1420 H) states:

صحيح

Sahih8

Sayyid Hasan al-Saqqaf also has this comment:

ورواه الترمذي 663/5) برقم (3788 بسند صحيح بلفظ إني تارك فيكم ما إن تمسكتم به لن تضلوا بعدي أحدهما أعظم من الآخر كتاب الله حبل ممدود من السماء إلى الأرض وعترتي أهل بيتي ولن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض فانظروا كيف تخلفوني فيهما

Al-Tirmidhi (5/663, # 3788) recorded it WITH A SAHIH CHAIN, with this wording:

“I am leaving behind over you that which if you adhere to it you will never go astray after me. One of them is greater than the other: the Book of Allah - a rope stretching from the heaven to the earth - and my offspring, my Ahl al-Bayt. Both shall never separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount. Therefore, watch carefully how you treat them after me.”9

Imam Ahmad (d. 241 H) further documents:

حدثنا عبد الله حدثني أبي ثنا بن نمير ثنا عبد الملك بن أبي سليمان عن عطية العوفي عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم: اني قد تركت فيكم ما ان أخذتم به لن تضلوا بعدي الثقلين أحدهما أكبر من الآخر كتاب الله حبل ممدود من السماء إلى الأرض وعترتي أهل بيتي الا وانهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا على الحوض

‘Abd Allah (b. Ahmad) - my father (Ahmad b. Hanbal) - Ibn Numayr - ‘Abd al-Malik b. Abi Sulayman - ‘Atiyyah al-‘Awfi - Abu Sa’id al-Khudri:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “I have left behind over you that which if you hold fast to it you will never go astray after me: the Two Weighty Things (al-thaqalayn). One of them both is greater than the other: the Book of Allah - a rope stretching from the heaven to the earth - and my offspring, my Ahl al-Bayt. Take note: verily, both shall never separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount.”10

Shaykh al-Arnaut comments:

حديث صحيح دون قوله " وإنهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا علي الحوض "

It is a sahih hadith, with the exception of the statement “And, verily, both shall never separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount”.11

Apparently, al-Arnaut rejects the authenticity of the last phrase of the hadith, and accepts all the others. But, this is strange, indeed! We have already quoted absolutely sahih chains - in the reports of Zayd b. Arqam - in this book which establish the authenticity of that phrase. Shaykh al-Arnaut apparently rushed to his conclusion without adequate research. Besides, the chain of this last riwayah above is reliable as well, as ‘Allamah al-Albani declares, after quoting that exact same report from Musnad Ahmad:

وهو إسناد حسن في الشواهد

And it is a chain that is hasan through the shawahid (corroborating evidences).12

Interestingly, this is what al-Arnaut himself says about the same hadith of ‘Atiyyah above from the same Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, with the same chain, in another book:

سنده حسن بالشواهد

Its chain is hasan through the shawahid.13

So, indeed, all the parts of the hadith are firmly established through this sanad and the sahih others.

Notes

1. Abu Yusuf Ya’qub b. Sufyan al-Fasawi, al-Ma’rifah wa al-Tarikh (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah) [annotator: Khalil al-Mansur], vol. 1, p. 294

2. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Taqrib al-Tahdhib (Beirut: Dar al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah; 2nd edition, 1415 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Ata], vol. 2, p. 318, # 7696

3. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Taqrib al-Tahdhib (Beirut: Dar al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah; 2nd edition, 1415 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Ata], vol. 1, p. 158, # 918. We have already mentioned his trustworthiness previously in this book.

4. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Taqrib al-Tahdhib (Beirut: Dar al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah; 2nd edition, 1415 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Ata], vol. 1, p. 158, # 918, vol. 1, p. 206, # 1258

5. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 179, # 6653

6. Abu ‘Isa Muhammad b. ‘Isa al-Sulami al-Tirmidhi, al-Jami’ al-Sahih Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 5, p. 663 # 3788

7. Ibid

8. Ibid

9. Hasan b. ‘Ali al-Saqqaf al-Qurashi al-Hashimi al-Husayni, Sahih Sharh al-‘Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah (Amman: Dar Imam al-Nawawi; 1st edition, 1416 H), p. 654

10. Abu ‘Abd Allah Ahmad b. Hanbal al-Shaybani, Musnad (Cairo: Muasassat Qurtubah) [annotator: Shu’ayb al-Arnaut], vol. 3, p. 59, # 11578

11. Ibid

12. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din b. al-Hajj Nuh b. Tajati b. Adam al-Ashqudri al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah wa Shayhun min Fiqhihah wa Fawaidihah (Riyadh: Maktabah al-Ma’arif li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’; 1st edition, 1415 H), vol. 4, p. 357, # 1761

13. Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Wazir al-Yamani, al-‘Awasim wa al-Qawasim fi al-Dhabb ‘an Sunnah Abi al-Qasim (Beirut: Muasassat al-Risalah; 2nd edition, 1416 H) [annotator: Shu’ayb al-Arnaut], vol. 1, p. 178, footnote # 1