Debates always cause the enlightenment of the mind of debaters and solve the problems but when they are going to seek the truth and the reality. Many decades ago, two great knowledgeable scholars of Shia and Sunni Muslims named Ayatollah Sharaf-Addin Mousavi and Sheikh Salim debated concerning the contradictional issues between Shia Muslims and Sunni Muslims via many letters. It is important to mention that both respected each other and sought the truth. Thus, none of them considered another as an Infidel and read carefully each other’s letters. The present article is the answer of Ayatollah Sharaf-Addin to Sheikh Salim’s letter and his question regarding the Hadith of Thaghalain or the Hadith of the two precious things.
1) We have not neglected to derive our proofs from the traditions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny. As a matter of fact, we referred to them at the beginning of our letter which clearly stated that following the Imams from Ahl al-Bayt exclusively is mandatory. We did so when we stated that he, peace be upon him and his progeny had compared them with the Glorious Book, setting them as a model for those endowed with reason, equating them with the ark of salvation, the nation’s security, the gate of salvation – all in reference to and quotations from the well-known clear texts in the Sahih books. We have also said that you would be satisfied with the hint instead of the details, without the need for further explanations.
2) The statements of our Imams, then, as we have explained, do fit to be used as an argument against their opponents, and using it in such a manner cannot be regarded as a (vicious) cycle, as you yourself know.
3) Take, for example, the statements of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny, to which we referred whereby he struck awe in the heart of the ignorant, calling upon the indifferent, as quoted by alTirmithi and alNisa’i from Jabir and they, in turn, are quoted by alMuttaqi alHindi at the beginning of his chapter on those who uphold the Book and the Sunnah in his work Kanzul`Ummal, Vol. 1, page 44, saying: “O people! I am leaving with you the Book of Allah and my household (`Itrat), my family (my Ahl al-bayt). As long as you uphold them, you shall never go astray.”
He has also said: “I have left with you that which, as long as you uphold, you shall never let you stray after me: Allah’s Book, a Rope extending from heavens to earth, and my `itrat, my Ahl al-Bayt. These two shall never separate from one another until they reach me by the Pool; therefore, see how you succeed me in faring with them.” (1)
He, peace be upon him and his progeny has also said: “I am leaving among you two successors: the Book of Allah, a rope extending from heavens to earth – or between heavens and earth -, and my household (`itrat) from my family (Ahl al-Bayt); they shall never separate from each other until they reach me by the Pool.” (2)
He, peace be upon him and his progeny, also said: “I am leaving among you the Two Weighty Things: the Book of Allah and my Ahl alBayt; they shall never separate from each other till they reach me at the Pool” (3).
He, peace be upon him, has said: “I am going to be called upon and shall answer the call, and I am leaving among you the Two Weighty Things, the Book of Allah Almighty and my offspring, my Ahl alBayt. The Sublime and omniScient has informed me that they shall never part from each other till they reach me by the Pool; so, see how you succeed me in faring with them.” (4)
Having returned from the Farewell Pilgrimage, he, peace be upon him and his progeny, camped at Ghadir Khumm and ordered the area underneath a few huge trees to be swept clean then said in his sermon: “It seems as if I am going to be called upon and shall answer the call, and I am leaving with you the Two Weighty Things, one of which is greater than the other: the Book of Allah Almighty, and my Household; so, see how you succeed me in faring with them, for they shall never separate from each other until they reach me at the Pool.” Then he (PBUH) added: “Allah, the Exalted and the Sublime is my Master, and I am the master of every believer.” Having said so, he took `Ali’s hand and said: “To whomsoever, I have been a master, this `Ali is his master. O, Allah! Befriend whosoever befriends `Ali, and be the enemy of whosoever opposes him, etc.” (5)
`Abdullah ibn Hantab has said: “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) delivered a sermon to us at Al-Juhfa wherein he asked us: ‘Don’t I have authority over your own selves more than you yourselves do?’ Attendants there answered: ‘Yes, indeed, O Messenger of Allah!’ Then he said: ‘I shall then question you about these two: the Qur’an and my `itrat.” (6)
4) The Sahih books which deem it mandatory to follow the two precious things are successive through more than twenty companions who all are in consensus in this regard. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, has emphasized these things on numerous occasions: on Ghadir Khumm’s Day, on the `Arafat day of his Farewell Pilgrimage, after leaving Taif, from his pulpit in Medina, and inside his blessed chamber during his sickness, when the room was full of his companions. He said in the latter incident: “O people! I feel I am going to die very soon, and I had previously informed you as my duty, and to leave no excuse for you, that: I am leaving with you the Book of Allah, the Glorious and Mighty, and my `itrat, my Ahl alBayt.” Having finished, he took `Ali’s hand and lifted it saying: “This `Ali is with the Qur’an, and the Qur’an is with `Ali: they shall never separate from one another till they reach me by the Pool.” (7)
A learned group among the majority has admitted the above. Even Ibn Hajar, quoting the tradition of the two precious things, says, “Be informed, then, that the tradition calling for upholding both of them comes through numerous ways narrated by more than twenty companions.” Further, he says, “Here a doubt arises about when he said so. Some traditionists say he said so at Arafat during the Farewell Pilgrimage and others said that he said so in Medina when he was sick, while his room was crammed with his companions. Another group say that he made that statement at the Khumm swamp, and in yet another that he made it by way of preaching, after having left T’aif as mentioned above.” Ibn Hajar furthermore says, “There is no contradiction here, for there is no objection to his repeating it at those places, and at others, out of his own concern for the unassailable Book and the Purified `itrat,” up to the end of his statement. (8)
Suffices the Imams from the Purified `itrat the fact that their rank with Allah is similar to that of the Book which falsehood cannot approach from the front or from the back. This must be sufficient testimony that takes people by the neck and obligates them to abide by their sect. A true Muslim does not accept any substitute for the Book of Allah; therefore, how can he deviate from the path of those who are its own peers?
To be continued!
NOTES:
_____________________________________
1. Al-Tirmidhi quotes it from Zayd ibn Arqam. It is hadith 874 of the ahadith quoted in, on p. 44, Vol. 1, of Kanz al-`Ummal.
2. Imam Ahmed includes it among the ahadith narrated by Zayd ibn Thabit from two sources one of which is stated at the beginning of page 182, and the other at the conclusion of page 189, Vol. 5, and also by Ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Ya`li, and Ibn Sa`d, from Abu Sa`id. It is hadith 945 on p. 47, Vol. 1, of Kanz al-`Ummal.
3. It is included by al-Hakim on page 148, Vol. 3, of Al-Mustadrak. The author comments thus: “This is one hadith the narrators of which are trustworthy according to both Shaykhs, though the latter did not transmit it.” Al-Thahbi includes it in his abridged volume of Al-Mustadrak, admitting its authenticity due to the endorsement of both Shaykhs.
4. Included by Imam Ahmed in the hadith narrated by Abu Sa`id al-Khudri from two sources one of which is mentioned on page 17, and the other at the end of page 26, Vol. 3, of Al-Musnad. It is also quoted by Ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Ya`li, and Ibn Sa`d from Abu Sa`id. It is hadith 945 as listed on page 47, Vol. 1, of Kanz al-`Ummal.
5. It is sequentially quoted by al-Hakim from Zayd ibn Arqam on page 109, Vol. 3, of Al-Mustadrak. The author adds: “This hadith is authentic according to both Shaykhs who did not narrate it in its entirety.” He quotes it from another source from Zayd ibn Arqam on page 533, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, adding: “This hadith is narrated by reliable narrators, yet they (both Shaykhs) did not publish it themselves.” Al-Thahbi has included it in his Talkhis, admitting its authenticity.
6. Al-Tabrani has included it, as referred to in Nabhani’s Al-Arba`in, and in Sayyti’s Ihya’ul Mayyit. You are aware of the fact that his khutba, peace be upon him and his progeny, was not confined to this much, for anybody who narrates just this much can claim that he had heard it. But politics tied many tongues of traditionists and chained the pens of many writers. In spite of all this, such a drop of the ocean suffices; praise be to Allah.
7. Refer to it at the conclusion of Section 2, Chapter 9, of Al-Sawa`iq al-Muhriqa by Ibn Hajar, after the forty ahadith referred to in that Section on page 57.
8. Refer to it in the exegesis of the fourth chapter: “And stop them, for they shall be questioned (Qur’an, 37:24),” which is quoted in Section One, Chapter 11, of Al-Sawa`iq al-Muhriqa, at the conclusion of page 89.
