Ijtihad Network Being Wise and Faithful Muslim in the Contemporary World
Numerous ḥadīths with a common theme about the absolute superiority of the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) over all his predecessors and future generations -except the Messenger of Allāh (ṣ) – and his more Knowledgeability and scientific authority (‘a) have been narrated in authoritative Shī’ah and Sunnī sources.
Ḥujjat al-Islām Moḥammad Jaʻfar Ṭabasī, a professor at the Islāmic Seminary in Qom, has written an article entitled “Twenty Common Points Between the Shī’ahs and Sunnīs on the Knowledgeability (Aʻlamīyah) and Superiority (Afḍalīyah) of Amīr al-Mu’minīn ‘Alī [The Commander of the Faithful] (‘a).”
Numerous ḥadīths with a common theme about the absolute superiority of the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) over all his predecessors and future generations -except the Messenger of Allāh (ṣ) – and his more Knowledgeability and scientific authority (‘a) have been narrated in authoritative Shī’ah and Sunnī sources. The expression and dissemination of these ḥadīths is the basis for empathy, unity and unification among Islamic schools of thought.Especially in an atmosphere where some ignorant and unknown elements are trying to disperse the interconnected Queues of Muslims. In this article, only some common ḥadīths that indicate more knowledgeability (aʻlamīyah) and superiority of Amīr al-Mu’minīn (‘a) are mentioned and their detailed description must be left to another time.
1. Born Inside the Kaʻbah
Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf al-Ganjī al-Shāfi’ī (d.1260) in his book ‘Kifāyat al-Ṭālib’ (p.407) quotes from Ḥākim al-Neyshābūrī that, “No one was born inside the Ka’bah before him and after him (‘a), and this is one of his special virtues that Allāh has bestowed on him in honour of his position.”No one but ‘Alī (‘a)reached such a level of virtue and greatness that he was born in the house of Allāh. Shaykh al-Mufīd (d.1023) in his book al-Irshād (vol. 1, p. 5) and late Ṭabarsī in his book ‘I’lām al-Warā’have mentioned exactly the same thing.
2. Assigning the Title “Amīr al-Mu’minīn” to ‘Alī (‘a)
al-Khāwrazmī al-Ḥanafī (d. 1173) in his book al-Manāqib (p. 303) quoted ‘Alī (‘a) that Allāh revealed to the Holy Prophet (ṣ) on the Night of Ascension (Mi’rāj) in the place of “Sidrat al-Muntahā” [The Lote Tree of the Farthest Boundary] that I made‘Alī (‘a) your successor and vicegerent, so make him your successor.The ḥadīth continues: It is true and right that only he deserves the title of “Amīr al-Mu’minīn”(‘a) and such a title will not be for anyone before him and after him.
3. ‘Alī (‘a): The Gate of the Prophet’s City of Knowledge
The ḥadīth “I am the city of knowledge and ‘Alī is its gate” is one of the ḥadīths that has been considered authentic by the critic of the ḥadīth,Yaḥyā ibn Mu’īn.[1] Ibn ‘Asākir quotes Ibn ‘Abbās that the Messenger of Allāh (ṣ) said: “I am the city of knowledge and ‘Alī is its gate, so whoever seeks knowledge must enter through this gate.”Shaykh al-Mufīd has also quoted the same content from Abū Sa’īd Khudrī.[2]
4. The Most Knowledgeable Man After the Prophet (ṣ)
Ibn ‘Asākir al-Shāfi’ī narrated from ‘Ā’ishah that the Messenger of Allāh (ṣ) said to Fāṭimah, peace be upon her: “I married you to someone who is more knowledgeable than all the believers.”[3] al-Khārazmī al-Ḥanafī narrated from Salmān al-Fārsī that the Prophet (ṣ) said, “‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib is the most knowledgeable of my ummah after me.”[4] Shaykh al-Mufīd has also narrated a ḥadīth with the same content from the Messenger of Allāh.[5]
5. ‘Alī’s Readiness to Answer any Kinds of Questions
Sa’īb ibn Musayyib said, “Except ‘Alī (‘a), none of the companions of the Prophet (ṣ) could say ask me whatever you want.”[6]
‘Abdullāh ibn Shuburmih said, “Only ‘Alī (‘a) said on the pulpit, ask me about what is between two covers (ask me about what is in Qur’ān).”[7]
Also,Abū al-Ṭufayl said, “I saw ‘Alī (‘a) that deliver the sermon and say: ask me and I swear by Allāh that you will ask me about anything, I will answer;and ask me about the Book of Allāh,for I know of every verse of the Qur’ān which was revealed during the night or during the day, in the desert or in the mountains.”[8] Shaykh al-Mufīd has narrated from Aṣbagh ibn Nubātah that ‘Alī (‘a) said, “Ask me before you lose me.”[9]
6. ‘Alī (‘a): The Best Human
The ḥadīth “‘Alī (‘a) is the best human being” has been narrated by AbūSa’īd al-Khudrī, Ḥudhayfah ibn al-Yamān, and ‘Ā’ishah. Ibn ‘Asākir has narrated this ḥadīthfrom the great companion of the Messenger of God (ṣ) Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh al-Anṣārī. It is stated in this ḥadīth that the Messenger of God (ṣ) said: “‘Alī (‘a) is the best of human beings, and he who doubts in it has disbelieved.”[10] Shaykh al-Mufīd (ra) has also narrated this ḥadīth from Jābir, with the difference that it is stated in the second paragraph that, “there is no doubt that he/she is a disbeliever.”[11]
7. ‘Alī (‘a): Ṣiddīq al-Akbar(The Greatest Truthful), Fārūq al-A’ẓam (The Greatest Separator of Right and Wrong)
Ibn ‘Asākir al-Shāfi’ī narrated from Salmān and AbūDharr that the Messenger of God (ṣ) took the hand of ‘Alī (‘a) and said: “He is the first person in the world that came to faith in me and he will be the first person to shake hands with me in the Hereafter.He is the greatest truthful (Ṣiddīq al-Akbar) and the greatest separator of right and wrong (Fārūq al-A’ẓam) and the leader of the believers.”[12] This ḥadīth has also narrated by Shaykh al-Ṭūsī.[13]
8. ‘Alī (‘a) is Allāh’s Proof (Ḥujjatullāh) Against the Creation
There are three expressions of the Prophet of Islam (ṣ) regarding the authority of Imām ‘Alī (‘a):
1)Allāh’sarguments in the hereafter,
2)Allāh’sarguments against His servants,
3)Allāh’sarguments against the creation.
These expressions have been narrated by Ibn ‘Asākir al-Dimashqī in his book, Tārīkh al-Dimashq.“O,human beings, he and I are Allāh’s argument against His creation.” A similar content has been quoted in the book al-Mustarshid by Ṭabarī al-Āmilī (d.938), page 618.
9. The Special Position of ‘Alī (‘a) in the Ḥadīth of Manzilah
The Messenger of Allāh (ṣ) said to the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) in the ḥadīth of Manzilah, “You Are to me like Aaron to Moses” meaning that, your position to me is like the position of Aaron to Moses.Ḥākimal-Ḥaskānī has quoted AbūḤāzim that this ḥadīth has five thousand chains of transmission.[14] Also, this ḥadīth was mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī in the chapter of Ghazwat al-Tabūk and Ṣaḥīḥ al-Muslim in Faḍā’il al-Ṣaḥābah. This ḥadīth, which has reached the highest level of tawwātur (widely transmitted), was narrated by Shaykh al-Ṭūsī and other Shī’ī scholars.
10. The First One Who Came to Faith in the Messenger of Allāh
Ibn Isḥāq, a well-known historian, introduces ‘Alī (‘a) as the first man who came to faith in God and His Messenger as a youth (ten years old).[15] Ibn ‘Asākir narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās that the Prophet said, “‘Alī (‘a) is the first one who came to faith in me and affirmed me.”[16] Shaykh al-Mufīd said in the book al-Irshād (vol. 1, p. 29) according to the narration, “‘Alī (‘a) came to faith in Allāh and His Messenger earlier that all the obligators (mukalafīn).”
11. Closing All the Doors Inside the Mosque Except the Door of ‘Alī’s (‘a) House
It is narrated by Zayd ibn Arqam that the doors of some of the companions’ houses opened into the mosque.The Messenger of God (ṣ) said: “All doors should be closed except the door of ‘Alī’s(‘a) House.”After some people objected to the closing of the doors, the Messenger of God (ṣ) said: “I swear by God that I did not order the doors to remain open or closed, but I commanded (by Allāh) and obeyed them.”[17][18][19]Two points of such ḥadīths are used: the first point is the absolute superiority of Amīr al-Mu’minīn‘Alī (‘a) over everyone and the second point is that the opening of the door of ‘Alī’s(‘a) house received directly much attention by Allāh.
12. Conveying Some Verses (Āyahs) from the Chapter (Sūrah) of Tawbah [The Repentance] to the People of Makkah
When verses from Sūrah al-Tawbah were revealed to the Messenger of God (ṣ), he (ṣ) gave those verses to Abū Bakr to take to Makkah and recite them for the people of Makkah; But after a short time, he sent the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) to the house of the Caliph and said to him: “Take the verses from Abū Bakr and convey them personally to the people of Makkah.”[20] This ḥadīth was narrated by Sayyid ibn Ṭāwūs in Ṭarā’if.[21] Taking verses from Abū Bakr and conveying them to ‘Alī (‘a) is the best proof of the superiority of the Commanders of the Faithful. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ṣamad Writes, “How can a person who is not qualified to convey a chapter of the Qur’ān be entrusted with the leadership of the people’s faith?”[22] Ibn Shahr Āshūb writes, “How can a person who is not qualified to convey ten verses of the Qur’ān at the time of the Messenger of God (ṣ) convey the sharī’ah after the Messenger of God (ṣ).[23]
13. ‘Alī (‘a) Always Accompanies the Qur’ān
Ḥākimal-Neyshābūrī has narrated with the authentic document that the Prophet (ṣ) said, “‘Alī (‘a) is with the Qur’ān and the Qur’ān is with ‘Alī (‘a) and the two will not separate from each other until they meet me at the Pond.” According to this ḥadīth, the companionship of ‘Alī (‘a) and the Qur’ān with each other will continue until the Day of Judgement. In addition to Ḥākimal-Neyshābūrī, al-Dhahabī has considered this ḥadīth to be authentic. This ḥadīth has been narrated by Shaykh al-Ṭūsī and ‘Allāmahal-Majlisī[24]. It is worth mentioning that the great infallibility of ‘Alī (‘a) can be used from this ḥadīth.
Ḥākim al-Neyshābūrī (d. 1015) quoted from the Messenger of God (ṣ) with a valid document that he said: “‘Alī (‘a) is with the Qur’ān and the Qur’ān is with ‘Alī (‘a) and the two will not separate from each other until they meet me at the Pond.” According to this ḥadīth, the companionship of ‘Alī (‘a) and the Qur’ān continues until the Day of Judgement. In addition to Ḥākim al-Neyshābūrī, al-Dhahabī also considered this ḥadīth to be correct. Shaykh al-Tusi and ‘Allāmahal-Majlisī (Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 89, p. 80) have narrated this ḥadīth.
It is worth mentioning that the great infallibility of ‘Alī (‘a) can be used from this ḥadīth.Because the requirement of ‘Alī’s(‘a) companionship with the Qur’ānis that he refrain from any sin.
14. ‘Alī (‘a) is Grounded in Right (Ḥaqq)
Ḥākim al-Neyshābūrī narrates from ‘Alī (‘a) with a valid document that the Messenger of God said, “May God’s mercy be upon ‘Alī (‘a), and O God, place the truth in ‘Alī (‘a)’s ground.”[25] Fakhr al-Rāzī (d. 1210), from the Ash’arī school of thought, says in the discussion of jahr[26] in the phrase“Bismillāh al-Raḥmān al-Rahīm” that,the Prophet used to pronounce Jahr in “Bismillah” then he writes,“whoever follows ‘Alī (‘a) in his religion will definitely be guided, and the reason for that is the supplication of the Messenger of God (ṣ) that says, O Allāh place the truth in the ‘Alī’s (‘a) grounded (‘a).”[27] ‘Allāmah al-Majlisī narrated this ḥadīth in Biḥāral-Anwār(vol. 38, p. 39).
15. ‘Alī (‘a): The Successor of the Prophet in “Yawm al-Dār”
It is stated in the Musnad of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (vol. 1, p. 111), “When the verse “Warn the nearest of your kinsfolk” was revealed, the Messenger of God (ṣ) gathered his relatives and after giving them lunch said, “Who wants to fulfill my debts and behest and wants to be my companion in heaven?Only ‘Alī (‘a) said, I accept.”Shaykh al-Mufīd(ra) writes in al-Irshād (vol. 1, p. 7) about this: “And this is a clear statement about the succession of Amīr al-Mu’minīn (‘a).”
16. Alī’s (‘a) Donation of His Ring in Prayer
Taftāzānī writes in Sharḥ al-Maqāsid (vol. 2, p. 269) that, “by consensus of the Muslims, the verse “Your guardian is only Allāh, His Apostle, and the faithful who maintain the prayer and give the zakāt while bowing down”[28] was revealed about Amīr al-Mu’minīn (‘a). Shaykh al-Mufīd (ra) states in Irshād (vol. 1, p. 7) that no one except ‘Alī (‘a) gave zakāt while bowing.He also states that there is no difference in whether “walī” means “preferable.”
17. ‘Alī (‘a): The First Person Praying With the Messenger of God (ṣ)
Ibn al-’Asākir al-Shāfi’ī narrates from Abū Ayyūb al-Anṣārī that “the Messenger of God (ṣ) said, the angels sent greetings to ‘Alī (‘a) and me for seven years, while no one except ‘Alī (‘a) said pray with me.”[29] Shaykh al-Mufīd narrated the same ḥadīth from Anas ibn Mālik with the addition of the sentence that “testifying to the Oneness of God and the Prophethood of Muḥammad had not ascended to the sky except from me and ‘Alī (‘a).”[30]
18. ‘Alī (‘a): The Brother of the Messenger of God (ṣ)
Ibn ‘Asākir has narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of God (ṣ) said to ‘Alī (‘a) (ṣ), “You are my brother in this world and the hereafter.”[31] In the ḥadīth of “Yawm al-Dār” also, the Messenger of God (ṣ) mentioned his brotherhood with ‘Alī (‘a) (ṣ).[32] Also, AbūḤurayrahquoted from the Messenger of God (ṣ) that he said,“‘Alī (‘a) is my brother and I am his brother.”[33] Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr al-Mālik0 also says it has been narrated in different ways that ‘Alī (‘a) used to say,“I am the servant of God and the brother of the Messenger of God, and no one but me makes such a claim unless he is a liar.”The late Ṭabarsī writes in al-Iʻlām al-Warā’ (vol. 1, p. 308) “And he is the brother, the successor, the trustee and, the vicegerent of the Messenger of God (ṣ) among his ummah.
19. Love and Hatred for ‘Alī (‘a): The Criteria for Distinguishing a Believer from an Unbeliever
Ibn ‘Asākir al-Shāfi’ī narrates from ‘Alī (‘a) that the Messenger of God said to him, “I swear by the one who split the seed and created the soul, this is the covenant that the ummī Prophet made with me, that no one loves me except a believer and no one will be my enemy except a hypocrite.”[34] In this ḥadīth, the Messenger of God (ṣ) listed loving ‘Alī (‘a) as a sign of faith and enmity with ‘Alī (‘a) as a sign of hypocrisy.The same ḥadīth was narrated by Shaykh al-Mufīd in al-Irshād book (vol. 1, p. 39) and ‘Imād al-Dīn Ṭabarī in Bishārat al-Muṣṭafāli al-Shī’at al-Murtaḍā (p. 202).
20. It is worship to look at the face of ‘Alī (‘a)
Ibn ‘Asākir has quoted ‘Āʾishah as saying, “I saw my father Abū Bakr looking at ‘Alī (‘a)’s face a lot.”When I asked my father the reason for doing this, he replied that I heard the Messenger of God (ṣ) say, “looking at the face of ‘Alī (‘a) is worship.”[35]The same ḥadīth was also narrated from ‘Uthmān. Shaykh al-Sadūq (ra) narrated this ḥadīth from ‘Imrān ibn Ḥaṣīn.[36]
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References
[1]Tahdhīb al-Kamāl. Vol. 18, P. 77.
[2]Biḥār al-Anwār, Vol. 40, P. 202.
[3]Tārīkh Dimashq, Vol. 45, P. 101.
[4]Farāʼid al-Simṭayn, Vol. 1, P. 107.
[5]al-Irshād, Vol. 1, P. 33.
[6]al-Dhakhāʼir al-‘Ughbā, P. 83.
[7]Tārīkh Dimashq, Vol. 35, P. 305.
[8]Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, Vol. 30,P. 478.
[9] Irshād, Vol. 1, P. 35.
[10]Tārīkh Dimashq, Vol. 35, P. 285.
[11]al-Irshād, Vol. 1, P. 38.
[12]Tārīkh Dimashq, Vol. 45, P. 32.
[13]Amālī, sermon 9, ḥadīth 24.
[14]Shawāhid al-Tanzīl, V. 1. P. 69.
[15]Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, Vol. 20, P. 481.
[16]TarīkhDimishq, Vol.45, P. 30.
[17]Musnad of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Vol. 4, P. 369.
[18]Mustadrak al-Ḥākim, Vol. 3, P. 96.
[19]al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā, Vol. 2, P.2.
[20]Musnad of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Vol. 3, P. 282
[21]Ṭarāʼif, Vol. 1, P. 55.
[22]Wuṣūl al-Akhyār,P. 95.
[23]Mutashābih al-Qurʼān, Vol. 2, P. 75.
[24]Biḥār al-Anwār, Vol. 89, P. 80.
[25]Mustadrak al-Wasāʼil,Vol. 3, P. 96.
[26]a diagonal line under a letter
[27]Mafātiḥ al-Ghayb, V. 1, P. 180.
[28] The Holy Qurʼān, 5:55.
[29]Tārīkh Dimashq, Vol. 45, P. 30.
[30]al-Fuṣūl al-Mukhtārah, P. 215 &Biḥār al-Anwār, Vol. 38, P.226.
[31]Tārīkh Dimashq, Vol. 45, P. 39.
[32]Tārīkh Dimashq, Vol. 45, P. 38.
[33]Tārīkh Dimashq, Vol. 45, P. 48.
[34]Tārīkh Dimashq, Vol. 45, P. 208.
[35]Tārīkh Dimashq, Vol. 45, P. 266.
[36]Amālī, Majlis 12, ḥadīth 62.
