Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Table of Contents

Author's Biography 15

The Author’s Birth and Upbringing 15

At ‘Amila 16

His Reforms 16

His Eloquence 16

His Services 16

His Quest for Knowledge 17

His Works 18

His Lost Works 19

His Manners and Gifts 20

His Travels 21

His Legacies and Construction Projects 22

Introduction and Foreword 24

Letter 1 28

I .Greeting the Debater 28

II. Asking Permission to Debate 28

Letter 2 29

I Greetings Reciprocated 29

II Permission to Debate Granted 29

Letter 3 30

I Why do Shi’as not Uphold the Majority's Sects? 30

II The Need for Unity 30

III Unity Achieved Only by Adhering to the Majority's Sects 30

Letter 4 31

I Juristic Proofs Mandate Adherence to the Sect of Ahl al­Bayt, 31

Letter 5 34

I Admitting Our Argument, 34

II Asking for Detailed Proofs 34

Letter 6 35

I References to Proofs Mandating Following the ‘Itra 35

II The Commander of the Faithful (as) Invites to Ahl al­Bayt's Sect 35

III Relevant Statement of Imam Zainul­‘Abidin 37

Letter 7 39

I Requesting Proofs from Statements by Allah and His Messenger 39

II Proofs from Ahl al­Bayt are Circumventive 39

Letter 8 40

I Overlooking Our Previous Statements, 40

II Error in Necessity of (Logical) Cycle, 40

III Hadith of the Two Weighty Things, 40

IV Its Tawatur, 41

V Non­Adherents to the ‘Itra Shall Stray, 42

VI Their Similitude to the ark of Noah, the Gate of Salvation, and the Security Against Religious Dissensions, 42

VII What is Meant by "Ahl al­Bayt" in this Regard 42

VIII Reasons for Similitude to Noah's Ark and the Gate of Salvation 43

Letter 9 44

Requesting More Relevant Texts 44

Letter 10 45

A Glimpse of Sufficient Texts 45

Letter 11 48

I Admiring Our Clear Texts, 48

II Wondering at Compromising Them With the Majority's Beliefs, 48

III Asking for Clear Signs from the Book 48

Letter 12 49

Qur'anic Proofs 49

Letter 13 55

Argument Regarding These Traditions Weak 55

Letter 14 56

I Fallacy of Opponent's Argument, 56

II Opponents do not Know Shi’as, 56

III Distinction of Emphasizing Illegality of Falsifying Hadith 57

Letter 15 58

I A Flash of the Truth, 58

II Requesting Details on Sunnis Relying on Shi’a Authorities 58

Letter 16 59

A Hundred Shi’a Authorities Relied upon by Sunnis 59

1. Aban ibn Taghlib 59

2. Ibrahim ibn Yazid 59

3. Ahmad ibn al­Mufdil 59

7. Isma’il ibn ‘Abbad 60

8. Isma’il ibn ‘Abdul­Rahman ibn Abu Karimah al­Kufi 61

9. Isma’il ibn Musa al­Fazari al­Kufi 61

10. Talid ibn Sulayman al­Kufi, al­A’raj 61

11. Thabit ibn Dinar 62

12. Thuwayr ibn Abu Fakhita 62

13. Jabir ibn Yazid ibn al-Harith al-Ju’fi al-Kufi 62

14. Jarir ibn ‘Abdel-Hamid al-Dabi al-Kufi 63

15. Ja’far ibn Ziyad al-Ahmar al-Kufi 63

16. Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Dab’i al-Basri (Abu Sulayman) 64

17. Jami’ ibn ‘Umayrah ibn Tha’labah al-Kufi al-Taymi (Taymullah) 65

18. Al-Harith ibn Hasirah Abul Nu’man al-Azdi al-Kufi 65

19. Al-Harith ibn ‘Abdullah al-Hamadani 66

20. Habib ibn Abu Thabit al-Asadi al-Kahili al-Kufi 67

21. Al-Hasan ibn Hayy 67

22. Al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah al-Kufi 68

23. Hammad ibn ‘Isa al-Jehni 68

24. Hamran ibn ‘Ayinah 69

25. Khalid ibn Mukhlid al-Qatwani 70

26. Dawud ibn Abu ‘Awf (Abul-Hijab) 70

27. Zubayd ibn al-Harith ibn ‘Abdul-Karim al-Yami al-Kufi 70

28. Zayd ibn al-Habab, Abul-Hasan al-Kufi al-Tamimi 71

29. Salim ibn Abul Ja’d al-Ashja’i al-Kufi 71

30. Salim ibn Abu Hafsah al-’Ijli al-Kufi 72

31. Sa’d ibn Tarif al-Iskafi al-Hanzali al-Kufi 72

32. Sa’id ibn Ashwa’ 73

33. Sa’id ibn Khaytham al-Hilali 73

34. Selamah ibn al-Fudayl al-Abrash 73

35. Selamah ibn Kahil ibn Hasin ibn Kadih ibn Asad al-Hadrami, Abu Yahya 74

36. Sulayman ibn Sa’id al-Khuza’i al-Kufi 74

37. Sulayman ibn Tarkhan al-Taymi al-Basri 75

38. Sulayman ibn Qarm ibn Ma’ath 75

39. Sulayman ibn Mahran al-Kahili al-Kufi al-Asla’ 75

40. Sharik ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Sinan al-Nakh’i al-Kufi, the judge 77

41. Shu’bah ibn al-Hajjaj Abul-Ward al-’Atki al-Wasiti (Abu Bastam) 78

42. Sa’sa’ah ibn Sawhan ibn Hajar ibn al-Harith al-’Abdi 78

43. Tawus ibn Kisan al-Khawlani al-Hamadani al-Yamani 80

44. Zalim ibn ‘Amr ibn Sufyan, Abul-Aswad al-Du'ali 80

45. ‘Amr ibn Wa'ilah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar al-Laithi al-Makki 81

46. ‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub al-Asadi al-Ruwajni al-Kufi 82

47. ‘Abdullah ibn Dawud 82

48. ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad ibn al-Had 82

49. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn Muhammad ibn Aban ibn Salih ibn ‘Umayr al-Qarashi al-Kufi 83

50. ‘Abdullah ibn Lahi’ah ibn ‘Uqbah al-Hadrami, Egypt's judge and scholar 83

51. ‘Abdullah ibn Maymun al-Qaddah al-Makki 84

52. ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Salih al-Azdi 84

53. ‘Abdul-Razzaq ibn Humam ibn Nafi’ al-Himyari al-San’ani 84

54. ‘Abdul-Malik ibn ‘Ayan 86

55. ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi al-Kufi 87

56. ‘Uthman ibn ‘Umayr ‘Abdul-Yaqzan al-Thaqafi al-Kufi al-Bijli 88

57. ‘Adi ibn Thabit al-Kufi 88

58. ‘Atiyyah ibn Sa’d ibn Janadah al-’Awfi 88

59. Al’ala' ibn Salih al-Taymi al-Kufi 89

60. ‘Alqamah ibn Qays ibn ‘Abdullah al-Nakh’i, Abu Shibil 90

61. ‘Ali ibn Badimah 90

62. ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d 91

63. ‘Ali ibn Zaid 91

64. ‘Ali ibn Salih 91

65. ‘Ali ibn Ghurab Abu Yahya al-Fazari al-Kufi 91

66. ‘Ali ibn Qadim Abul-Hasan al-Khuza’i al-Kufi 92

67. ‘Ali ibn al-Munthir al-Tara'ifi 92

68. ‘Ali ibn al-Hashim ibn al-Barid Abul-Hasan al-Kufi al-Khazzaz al-’Aithi 92

69. ‘Ammar ibn Zurayq al-Kufi 93

70. ‘Ammar ibn Mu’awiyah, or Ibn Abu Mu’awiyah 93

71. ‘Amr ibn ‘Abdullah Abu Issaq al-Subai’i al-Hamadani al-Kufi 93

72. ‘Awf ibn Abu Jamila al-Basri, Abu Sahl 94

73. Al-Fadl ibn Dakin 94

74. Fadil ibn Marzuq al-Aghar al-Ruwasi al-Kufi, Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman 95

75. Fitr ibn Khalifah al-Hannat al-Kufi 95

76. Malik ibn Isma’il ibn Ziyad ibn Dirham Abu Hasan al-Kufi al-Hindi 96

77. Muhammad ibn Khazim 96

78. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Dabi al-Tahani al-Nisaburi, Abu ‘Abdullah al-Hakim 97

79. Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani 97

80. Muhammad ibn Fudayl ibn Ghazwan Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman al-Kufi 98

81. Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn al-Ta'ifi 98

82. Muhammad ibn Musa ibn ‘Abdullah al-Qatari al-Madani 99

83. Mu’awiyah ibn ‘Ammar al-Dihni al-Bajli al-Kufi 99

84. Ma’ruf ibn Kharbuth al-Karkhi 99

85. Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Rabi’ah al-Salami al-Kufi 100

86. Al-Minhal ibn ‘Amr al-Kufi, the tabi’i 101

87. Musa ibn Qays al-Hadrami, Abu Muhammad 101

88. Naif’ ibn al-Harith Abu Dawud al-Nakh’i al-Kufi al-Hamadani al-Subay’i 102

89. Nuh ibn Qays ibn Rabah al-Hadani 102

90. Harun ibn Sa’d al-’Ijli al-Kufi 102

91. Hashim ibn al-Barid ibn Zayd Abu ‘Ali al-Kufi 102

92. Hubayrah ibn Maryam al-Himyari 103

93. Hisham ibn Ziyad Abul Miqdam al-Basri 103

94. Hisham ibn ‘Ammar ibn Nasr ibn Maysarah, Abu al-Walid 103

95. Hashim ibn Bashir ibn al-Qasim ibn Dinar al-Wasiti, Abu Mu’awiyah 104

96. Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah ibn Malih ibn ‘Adi 104

97. Yahya ibn al-Jazzar al-’Arni al-Kufi 105

98. Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Qattan 105

99. Yazid ibn Ziyad al-Kufi, Abu ‘Abdullah 106

100. Abu ‘Abdullah al-Jadali 106

Letter 17 109

I Appreciating the debater's sentiments, 109

II Admitting There is no Objection if Ahlel-Sunnah Rely on Shi’a Authorities, 109

III His belief in the Miracles of Ahl al-Bayt, 109

IV Dilemma at Compromising the Above with what Ahl Al-Qibla do 109

Letter 18 111

I Sentiments Reciprocated, 111

II Debater's Error in Generalizing Regarding Ahl al-Qibla, 111

III The Nation's Politicians are the Ones Who Turned Away from Ahl al-Bayt, 111

IV The Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (without any argument) are not Inferior to others, 112

V Which Fair Court Judges Calling Their Followers "Strayers"? 112

Letter 19 113

I No Fair Arbitrator Would Call Followers of Ahl al-Bayt Strayers, 113

II Following Their Sects is Carrying out the Responsibility, 113

III It Could be Said that They Have the Priority to Lead, 113

IV Requesting Texts Relevant to the Khilafate 113

Letter 20 114

I A General Reference to the Texts, 114

II A Reference to the House on the Day of Warning, 114

III Sunni Reporters of this Hadith 114

Letter 21 116

Raising Doubts about the Hadith's Authenticity 116

Letter 22 117

I Proving the Text's Authenticity, 117

II Why the Shaykhs Have Not Reported it, 117

III Whoever Knows These Shaykhs Knows Why 117

Letter 23 118

I Convinced of the Authenticity of this Hadith, 118

II Unreliability Based on Non-Sequential Narration, 118

III Its Reference to Restricted Succession, 118

IV Its Rebuttal 118

Letter 24 119

I Why Relying on this Hadith, 119

II Restricted Succession is Unanimously Rejected, 119

III Revocation is Impossible 119

Letter 25 120

I His Belief in the Text 120

II Requesting More Texts 120

Letter 26 121

I Clear Texts Recounting Ten of ‘Ali's Exclusive Merits, 121

II Why Rely Upon it 122

Letter 27 124

Raising Doubts About the Status Hadith 124

Letter 28 125

I The Status Hadith Stands on Most Solid Grounds, 125

II Binding Proofs, 125

III Its Sunni Narrators, 125

IV Why al-Amidi Suspects It 126

Letter 29 127

I Believing in Our Arguments Regarding the Hadith's Sanad, 127

II Doubting its General Application, 127

III Doubting its being Binding 127

Letter 30 128

I Arabs Regard it General, 128

II Disproving Claim of Restriction, 128

III Disproving its Non-Binding Application 129

Letter 31 130

Requesting Sources of this Hadith 130

Letter 32 131

I Among Its Sources: the Prophet's Visit to Umm Salim, 131

II The Case of Hamzah's Daughter, 131

III Leaning on ‘Ali, 131

IV The First Fraternity, 131

V The Second Fraternity, 131

VI Closing the Doors, 132

VII The Prophet Comparing ‘Ali and Aaron to the Two Stars 132

Letter 33 133

When was ‘Ali and Aaron Described as the Two Stars? 133

Letter 34 134

I The Occasion of Shabar, Shubayr, and Mushbir, 134

II The Occasion of Fraternity, 134

III The Occasion of Closing the Doors 136

Letter 35 138

Requesting Other Texts 138

Letter 36 139

I Hadith by Ibn ‘Abbas, 139

II ‘Umran's Hadith, 139

III Buraydah's Hadith, 139

IV Hadith Recounting Ten Exclusive Attributes [of ‘Ali], 140

V ‘Ali's Hadith, 140

VI Wahab's Hadith, 140

VII Ibn Abu ‘Asim's Hadith 140

Letter 37 142

"Wali" is a Linguistic Denominator; so, Where is the Text? 142

Letter 38 143

I Explaining the Implications of "Wali" 143

II Proving its Connotation 143

Letter 39 145

Requesting the Wilayat Verse 145

Letter 40 146

I The Verse of Wilayat and its Revelation in ‘Ali's Honour, 146

II Why it was Revealed, 146

III Why Using it as a Testimonial 146

Letter 41 148

"Mumins" is Plural; Why Apply it to the Singular? 148

Letter 42 149

I Arabs Address the Singular Using the Plural Form, 149

II Testimonials, 149

III Quoting Imam al-Tibrisi, 150

IV Quoting al-Zamakhshari, 150

V What I have Stated 150

Letter 43 152

Context Denotes "the Loved one," or the Like 152

Letter 44 153

I Context is not Indicative of "Supporter," or the Like, 153

II Context does not Outweigh the Proofs 153

Letter 45 155

Resorting to Interpretation, Following in the Footsteps of the Predecessors, is Unavoidable 155

Letter 46 156

I Believing in the Ancestors does not Require Interpretation 156

II Interpretation is Impossible 156

Letter 47 157

Requesting Testimonial Traditions 157

Letter 48 158

Forty Ahadith Supporting the Texts 158

Letter 49 165

I Admitting ‘Ali's Merits, 165

II Such Merits do not Necessitate his Caliphate 165

Letter 50 166

Why Interpret Texts on His Behalf as Indicative of His Imamate 166

Letter 51 167

Rebutting the Arguments Through Similar Ones 167

Letter 52 168

Rejecting the Rebuttal's Premises 168

Letter 53 169

Requesting the Hadith Pertaining to the Ghadir Incident 169

Letter 54 170

Glitters of Ahadith Relevant to the Ghadir Incident 170

Letter 55 173

Why Use it as a Testimonial if not Transmitted Consecutively? 173

Letter 56 174

I Natural Laws Necessitate the Consecutive Reporting of Hadith al-Ghadir 174

II The Almighty's Benevolence 174

III Concern of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) 174

IV Concern of the Commander of the Faithful 175

V al-Husain's Concern 177

VI Concern of the Nine Imams (as) 177

VII Shi’as' Concern 178

VIII Its Consecutive Reporting Through the Masses 178

Letter 57 181

I Interpreting Hadith al­Ghadir 181

II The Link 181

Letter 58 182

I Hadith al­Ghadir Cannot be Interpreted, 182

II Pretext for its Interpretation is Speculative and Misleading 183

Letter 59 186

I Truth Manifests 186

II Evasion 186

Letter 60 187

Evasion Refuted 187

Letter 61 190

Requesting Texts Narrated by Shi’a Sources 190

Letter 62 191

Forty Ahadith 191

Letter 63 197

I Shi’a Texts Rejected as Testimonials, 197

II Why Have Others Refrained from Quoting Them? 197

III Asking for More Texts 197

Letter 64 198

I Above Texts were Quoted upon Request, 198

II Sahihs are Proofs against the Majority, 198

III Not Quoted Because of Their Existence in Our Own Sahihs 198

Letter 65 201

Requesting the Ahadith Relevant to the Inheritance 201

Letter 66 202

Ali is the Prophet's Heir 202

Letter 67 204

Where is the Prophet's Will? 204

Letter 68 205

The Will's Texts 205

Letter 69 208

Argument of the Will's Deniers 208

Letter 70 209

I The Will Cannot be Repudiated, 209

II Why Denied, 210

III Deniers' Arguments not Binding, 210

IV Reason and Intellect Require it 210

Letter 71 211

Why Reject the Hadith of the Mother of Believers and the best Among the Prophet's Consorts? 211

Letter 72 212

I She Was Not the Best of the Prophet's Consorts 212

II The Best is Khadija, 212

III A General Hint to the Reason Why her Hadith was Discarded 213

Letter 73 214

Requesting an Explanation to our Rejection of ‘Ayesha's Hadith 214

Letter 74 215

I Explaining Why We Reject her Hadith, 215

II Reason Confirms the Will, 217

III Her Claim that the Prophet Died on Her Chest is Refuted 218

Letter 75 219

I Mother of the Believers is not Ruled by Emotions, 219

II The Pleasant and the Ugly are Denied by Reason, 219

III Why Oppose the Claim of the Mother of Believers? 219

Letter 76 220

I Her Yielding to Sentiment, 220

II Rationale Regarding the Pleasant and the Unpleasant, 221

III Rejecting the Claim of the Mother of Believers, 222

IV Preference of Umm Salamah's Hadith over Hers 224

Letter 77 226

Why Prefer Umm Salamah's Hadith to ‘Ayesha's? 226

Letter 78 227

More Reasons for Preferring Umm Salamah's Hadith 227

Letter 79 229

Consensus Endorses al-Siddiq's Caliphate 229

Letter 80 230

No Consensus 230

Letter 81 232

Consensus Concluded When Dispute Dissipated 232

Letter 82 233

Consensus Was Not Concluded; Dissension Did Not Dissipate 233

Letter 83 237

Can You Compromise the Text's Accuracy With the Companions' Truthfulness? 237

Letter 84 238

I Compromising the Text's Accuracy With Their Truthfulness, 238

II Rationalizing the Imam's Reluctance to Demand his Right 240

Letter 85 242

Requesting Narration of Incidents Wherein They Did Not Follow the Texts of Hadith 242

Letter 86 243

I Thursday's Calamity, 243

II The Reason Why the Prophet Repealed His Order Then 246

Letter 87 247

Justifying and Discussing the Calamity 247

Letter 88 249

Pretexts Refuted 249

Letter 89 253

I Admitting the Falsehood of Such Pretexts, 253

II Requesting Narration of Other Incidents 253

Letter 90 254

Usamah's Regiment 254

Letter 91 257

I Justifying Their Behaviour Towards Usamah's Regiment, 257

II No Hadith Curses its Draft Dodgers 258

Letter 92 259

I Their Pretexts do not Contradict our Statement, 259

II Al-Shahristani's Hadith is Documented 260

Letter 93 262

Requesting Narration of Other Incidents 262

Letter 94 263

His Order (pbuh) to Kill the Renegade 263

Letter 95 265

Justifying not Killing the Renegade 265

Letter 96 266

Justification Rejected 266

Letter 97 267

Requesting Narration of all Such Incidents 267

Letter 98 268

I Glittering Proofs 268

II Reference to Other Incidents 268

Letter 99 269

I Their Preference of the Common Interest in Those Instances, 269

II Requesting the Rest 269

Letter 100 270

I The Debater Digresses from the Subject-Matter, 270

Letter 101 273

Why didn't the Imam Cite the Ahadith of Caliphate and Wisayat on the Saqifa Day? 273

Letter 102 274

I Why the Imam Abstained on the Saqifa Day from Citing Such Texts, 274

II Reference to his and his Followers' Arguments Despite Obstacles 275

Letter 103 276

Looking for His and His Followers' Arguments 276

Letter 104 277

I A Few Incidents When the Imam Argued, 277

II The Argument of al-Zahra' (as) 280

Letter 105 281

Requesting Narration of Other Such Incidents 281

Letter 106 282

I Ibn ‘Abbas's Argument, 282

II Arguments of al-Hasan and al-Husayn, 283

III Arguments of Prominant Shi’ah Sahabah, 283

IV Reference to their Applying the Will as an Argument 284

Letter 107 285

When did they Mention the Will? 285

Letter 108 286

The Recommendation as Evidence 286

Letter 109 293

Why do Some Fanatics Question the Derivation of the Shi’a School of Muslim Law from the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (as)? 293

Letter 110 294

I Shi’ah Faith is Sequentially Derived from the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, 294

II Advancement of Shi’ahs in Recording Knowledge During the Sahabah's Epoch, 295

III Their Authors Contemporary to the Tabi’in, and the Latter's Followers 298

Letter 111 305

Conviction 305

Letter 112 306

Appreciation 306

Glossary 307

Endnotes 310