In this part of the article titled “The Reward of loving Ahlul-Bayt”, we shall focus on other relevant information from Sunni scholars on the reward of loving Ahlul-Bayt (a.s).
Sunni scholars also narrated that Imam al-Hasan Ibn Ali (AS) said the following in a discourse which he delivered on the martyrdom of Imam Ali: “… I am among Ahlul-Bayt whom Allah has made their love obligatory for any Muslim when He revealed to His Prophet (PBUHH): “Say: I don’t ask you any wage except to love my near kin. And if anyone earns any good We shall give Him an increase of good (1). “Thus, earn the good deed through loving us Ahlul-Bayt” (2). Furthermore, it is narrated from Ibn Abbas: Ibn Abbas said: “The good deed in the verse: ‘And if anyone earns any good We shall give Him an increase of good (3) is the love of family (Aal) of the Muhammad (PBUHH).” (4)
Sunni traditionists also narrated that: After the martrydom of al-Husain when his family were taken prisoners and were moved to Damascus, a man in the city (who among others was looking at the passing of prisoners in the city) said to Zain al-Abideen (Imam Ali Ibn al-Husain) that “Praise be to Allah who destroyed you and made you helpless and cut the root of sedition.” On that, Zain al-Abideen said: “Didn’t you read ‘Say, I don’t ask you any wage except to love my near kin’?” The man answered: “Are you those?” He (Zain al-Abideen) said: “Yes.” (5)
Contrary to all the above traditions, Yusuf Ali has a very strange commentary for the verse (42:23). He wrote:
Yusuf Ali> No sort of tangible reward does the Prophet of Allah ask for
Yusuf Ali> proclaiming the Glad Tidings of Allah. At least he has the
Yusuf Ali> right to ask that his kith and kin should not persecute him and
Yusuf Ali> put all sorts of obstacles in his way, as did the Quraish
Yusuf Ali> against the holy Prophet. (6)
What Yusuf Ali implied was that, by the above verse, the Prophet was asking his kin not to prosecute him and they should love his kin, i.e., the Prophet. The fact is that the above-mentioned traditions of the Prophet regarding the revelation of verse 42:23, contradict what Yusuf Ali commented. I wonder if we should take the opinion of the Prophet or the opinion of Yusuf Ali?! It is noteworthy that the above-mentioned traditions were narrated by prominent Sunni traditionists through various transmitters. Yusuf Ali was not a traditionist nor do Sunnis consider his commentary an authoritative one.
Besides, we can prove logically that Yusuf Ali’s commentary is incorrect. “Those of near kin” are the kin of the Prophet himself. Because Prophet Muhammad is only one person. If Allah wanted to say “Love the Prophet because he is your kin”, He could say so, and He would not use “Those of near kin”.
Moreover, from the verse, it is clear that Allah was not addressing non-Muslims because the verse is about his wage in return for his prophethood. Thus those unbelievers (among his kin or else) who do not recognise him as a Prophet, were not being addressed. What kind of wage could the Prophet expect from an unbeliever (among his kin or else) who does not recognize him as a prophet?! Thus, It was the Muslims who are being addressed by the verse. Now, if Yusuf Ali meant that the verse was addressing those Muslims who were his kin, then I would like to ask: Who among the near kin of the Prophet was Muslims but tried to prosecute the Prophet? The answer is none. If you think otherwise, please present your evidence from the history of the life of the Prophet (PBUHH). Therefore, Yusuf Ali’s commentary is neither in harmony with the above-mentioned Sunni traditions in this regard nor in harmony with logic.
I do not intend to discuss all the mistakes which exist in Yusuf Ali’s works. I myself have found some trivial mistakes in his translation of the Qur’an, and there is even a book named “Discussion on the errors of Yusuf Ali” (7) which discusses some of his errors. Although I do not intend to fully discredit his works, it would be beneficial to mention his translation of a verse of the Qur’an in connection with the current topic, and then compare it to other translations. This verse is very similar to the above-mentioned verse of the Quran (8). Allah, to whom belong might and majesty, similarly said: “(O Prophet) tell (people) whatever I asked you as wage (in return for my prophethood) is in the benefit of you (people)” (9).
Here is Pickthall’s translation:
Pickthall> “Say: Whatever reward I might have asked of you is yours” (10)
Now, let us look at Yusuf Ali’s translation:
Yusuf Ali> “Say: No reward do I ask of you; it is (all) in your interest” (11)
One can see that the translation of Yusuf Ali provides meaning quite contradictory to the others. In the translation of the above verse, Yusuf Ali states that the Prophet did not ask for any wage. By that, Yusuf Ali contradicted his own translation of the other mentioned verse (12) where he states the Prophet did, in fact, ask for the wage:
Yusuf Ali> “Say: No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin”(13)
There is no doubt that the reward of the Prophet is with Allah. However, with the above order of Allah, the Prophet did ask People to love his family as his wage. Such a request is, in fact, for the benefit of people as verse 34:47 testifies. The verses of the Holy Quran explain one another. More Surprisingly, there is a third verse with another wording which implies that the benefit that people get by fulfilling the Prophet’s request (i.e., affection and devotion to Ahlul-Bayt) is that they will be led to the path (Sabeel) of Allah: “Say: I ask of you no reward for it except that one who wishes, may adopt a Path (Sabeel) toward his Lord”(14).
Pickthall’s translation:
Pickthall> “Say: I ask of you no reward for this save that whoso will, may choose a way unto his Lord” (15)
Putting verses 25:57 beside 42:23 and 34:47 gives evidence to the fact that each member of Ahlul-Bayt is on the Right Path (Sabeel) toward Allah and the way toward His satisfaction. The Right Path of Allah is no more than one even though it is manifested in a sequence of divinely appointed leaders.
As such, each of these leaders was the unique Path (Sabeel) of Allah in their own time, and through whom people can attain protection against disagreement in religious matters. In fact, the Messenger of Allah confirmed the above conclusion from the latter verse. Ibn Sa’d and Ibn Hajar recorded that: The Messenger of Allah said: “I and my Ahlul-Bayt are a tree in Paradise whose branches came to this world (Dunya). Thus, whoso will, may choose a path unto his Lord (by taking a branch and reaching to the stem in Paradise).”(16)
The above-underlined part of the Hadith of the Prophet (PBUHH) is the Quranic verse mentioned above (17). True love for Ahlul-Bayt will, in fact, oblige us to follow their Right Path which guarantees human prosperity in this world as well the Paradise in the world after.
NOTES:
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1. The Quran 42:23.
2. Sunni references:
al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, “Chapter of understanding the virtues of companions,” vol. 3, p. 172
al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p259
3. The Quran 42:23.
4. Sunni references:
al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p. 259
5. Sunni references:
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (complete version), vol. 4, p. 112, under commentary of verse 42:23 of Quran
al-Tabarani, as mentioned in al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p. 259.
6. Yusuf Ali’s commentary of 42:23.
7. Paperback, $12.00 in the United States.
8. The Quran 42:23.
9. The Quran 34:47.
10. The Quran 34:47.
11. The Quran 34:47.
12. The Quran 42:23.
13. The Quran 42:23.
14. The Quran 25:57.
15. The Quran 25:57.
16. Sunni references:
al-Tabaqat, by Ibn Sa’d
Sharaf al-Nubuwwah, by Muhibbuddin al-Tabari, on the authority of Abu Sa’id
al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p231
17. The Quran 25:57)
