In this part of the article titled “The Knowledge of the Unseen And the Knowledge of the Book” we shall continue with the discussion on other hadith on the superiority of Imam Ali in terms of his knowledge.
Side Comments
A contributor mentioned that there exists another version of the tradition of “The City of Knowledge” where the Prophet (pbuhh) states: “I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate, and Abu Bakr is its foundation, Umar its walls and Uthman its roof.” (14)
To answer this, I would like to first mention this weak tradition is not reported in any of the six sound collections of the Sunnis, whereas the correct version of the tradition provided in our article is, in fact, in the Sihah Sittah of the Sunnis.
Adding the words to the genuine traditions of the Prophet, was another trick which the falsifiers of tradition narrators resorted to during the time of the Umayyad. When they found that a tradition was so widespread amongst the people that there was no way to deny or refute it, they decided to add a paragraph or words or to change some phrases so as to dampen the impact of the tradition or to make it lose its intended meaning.
This trick is not hidden from the objective researchers who refute these additions which, most of the time, indicate the lack of intelligence of the falsifiers and their lack of wisdom in contrast to the light of the Prophetic traditions. Even some well-known Sunni scholars were aware of such forgeries and have rated many of such traditions as forged or weak due to the discrepancy in the Isnad as well as the contents.
For instance, in the above-forged tradition, we can observe the saying “Abu Bakr is its foundation” means the knowledge of the Prophet (PBUHH) is derived from the knowledge of Abu Bakr and this is disbelief (Kufr). Likewise, the statement “Umar is its walls” means Umar prevents people from entering the city, i.e., prevents them from getting to the knowledge. Also, the saying that “Uthman is its roof” is undoubtedly absurd since no city has a roof!!!
All praise is due to the Lord of the Worlds, who has given us intelligence through which we will be able to differentiate between the truth and falsehood, and He has made clear to us the Right Path and then tests us by many things so that they can bear witness on the day of judgment.
al-Tirmidhi also recorded that the Messenger of Allah said:
“I am the House of Wisdom and Ali is its door.” (1)
The Messenger said to his daughter Fatimah al-Zahra (AS):
“Would it not please you that I have married you to the first Muslim in my nation, their most knowledgeable, and their greatest in Wisdom.” (2)
Similarly, Barida narrated: The Messenger of Allah (PBUHH) said to Fatimah (AS) that:
“I gave you in marriage to the best in my Ummah, the most knowledgeable in them, the best in patience in them, and the first Muslim among them.” (3)
Abu Bakr said:
“May Allah never put me in a situation where I cannot have access to Abul Hasan (i.e., Ali) to solve a problem.”
Similarly, Sa’id al-Musayyib said: ”
Umar Ibn al-Khattab used to beg God to preserve him from a perplexing case which the father of al-Hasan was not present to decide.” Furthermore, Umar said: “If there was not Ali, Umar would have perished.” (4)
Aisha once said:
“He (Ali) was the most knowledgeable person among those who remained on the Sunnah (of the Prophet).” (5)
Ibn Abbas (RA) said:
“There were 18 exclusive virtues for Ali which was not for any other person in the Muslim community.”
Ibn Mas’ud said:
“We were talking that the most trustful referee/Judge in Medina to solve the problems was Ali.” (6) He also reported that Umar said: “Ali was our Judge.” (7)
Furthermore, Ibn Mas’ud said:
“The Holy Quran has outward and inward meanings and Ali Ibn Abi Talib has the knowledge of both.” (8)
Much of the knowledge of the Prophet was transferred to Imam Ali (AS) when the Prophet was taking his last breath: Imam Ali said:
“The Messenger of Allah at that time (before his last breath) taught me a thousand chapters of knowledge, every one of which opened for me one thousand other chapters.” (9)
Imam Ali (AS) once said:
“By Allah, I am the Brother of the Messenger of Allah and his friend and his cousin and the inheritor of his knowledge. Who has a better title for succeeding him than me? (10)
al-Dhahabi in his Talkhis of al-Mustadrak has admitted the above words to be genuine. (11)
Also, Imam Ali (AS) himself frequently stated in his sermons:
“Ask me before you lose me. By Allah, if you ask me about anything that could happen up to the Day of Judgment, I will tell you about it. Ask me, for, by Allah, you will not be able to ask me a question about anything without my informing you.
Ask me about the Book of Allah, for by Allah, there is no verse about which I do not know whether it was sent down at night or during the day, or whether it was revealed on a plain or in a mountain.” (12) Sa’id Ibn Musayyib as well as Umar Ibn al-Khattab said: “No companion of the Prophet ever said ‘Ask me’ except Ali.” (13)
Based on this, it can be said that “he who possesses the Knowledge of the Book” in verse 13:43 refers to Imam Ali (AS) and no other Companions. And if “a part of Knowledge of the Book”, provided a supernatural power for Asaf, then it is clear that those who have the whole knowledge of the Book, have more ability of this type by leave of Allah. Also according to the above tradition written in Sihah Sittah, in which the Prophet (PBUHH) said “I am the City of Knowledge, and Ali is its Gate. So whoever intends to enter the City and the Wisdom, he should enter from its Gate”, it is clear that the only source of knowledge after Prophet Muhammad (PBUHH) was Imam Ali (AS), and those who seek other sources do not gain the genuine Sunnah of the Prophet because nobody can enter this City from a direction other than its door.
Concluding Remarks
It should be emphasized that The Twelver Shia Scholars believe that neither the Prophet nor the Imams possess the Knowledge of Ghayb with the special meaning used in the Quran since this type of knowledge is something which belongs to Allah only.
However, as Quran mentions “news of Ghayb” have been transmitted to the Prophet Muhammad, and from that channel, it has been transmitted to the Imams of Ahlul-Bayt. What they fully possess is the Knowledge of the Book described above. It should also be noted that the prophets and Imams share with the rest of humanity the means for obtaining knowledge which Allah has given: the senses, the intellect, etc. They also possess special powers and means that other people do not have.
In carrying out the commands of Allah in which people have also responsibility, and likewise in ordinary behaviour, the Prophets and Imams only make use of the first way of knowing, which is the commonly available means. The second means (extraordinary means) is only used by them in duties and works which are connected with their position of prophethood and Imamat.
Thus in matters such as knowing the beginning of the month, passing judgment, finding out if something is unclean or pure, etc., they make use of ordinary means such as the sighting of the moon, and so forth, which anyone else employs. The extraordinary means of knowledge cannot be the basis for their action, and what they volitionally do must be determined by the means available to everyone. Thus, such knowledge has a spiritual aspect as being the Representative of Allah (Khalifatullah), and the reason for it must be sought on this level, and it is not for the purpose of influencing and controlling the events on the level of ordinary understanding.
NOTES:
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1. Sahih al-Tirmidhi, vol 5, pp 201,637 – Ibn Jarir al-Tabari recorded this tradition and wrote: “We believe this tradition to be genuine and authentic.” (as quoted by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi in Kanz al-Ummal, vol 6, p 401) – Jami’ al-Saghir, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, vol 1, p 170; Also in Jami’ al-Jawami’ – al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 9, section 2, p 189.
2. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, vol 3, p 136; vol 5, p 26.
3. Kanz al-Ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, vol 6, p 398.
4. Fadha’il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, vol 2, p 647, Tradition #1100 – al-Isti’ab, by Ibn Abd al-Barr, vol 3, p 39 – Manaqib, by al-Khawarizmi, p 48 – al-Tabaqat, by Ibn Sa’d, vol 2, p 338 – al-Riyadh al-Nadhirah, by Muhibbuddin al-Tabari, vol 2, p 194 – Tarikh al-Khulafaa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, p 171.
5. Tarikh al-Khulafaa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, p 171 – al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 9, section 3, p196.
6. Tarikh al-Kabir, by al-Bukhari (the author of Sahih), vol 1, part 2, p 6 – Fadha’il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, vol 2, p 646, Tradition #1097 – al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, vol 2, p 352 – Tarikh al-Khulafaa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, p 171 – al-Isti’ab, by Ibn Abd al-Barr, a section of word “Ain”, vol 2, p 462; vol 3, p 39 – al-Tabaqat, by Ibn Sa’d, vol 2, p 338.
7. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, vol 1, p 84 – Majma’ al-Zawa’id, by al-Haythami, vol 9, p 116 – al-Riyadh al-Nadhirah, by Muhibbuddin al-Tabari, vol 3, p 213.
8. Hilyatul Awliyaa, by Abu Nu’aym, vol 1, p 65
9. Kanz al-Ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, vol 1, p 392
10. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim vol 3, p 112
11. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, vol 5, p 40
12. al-Isabah, by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, vol 4, p 568 – Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, vol 7, pp 337-338 – Fat’hul Bari, by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, vol 8, p 485 – Tarikh al-Khulafaa, by al-Suyuti, p 124 – al-Itqan, by al-Suyuti, vol 2, p319 – al-Riyadh al-Nadhirah, by Muhibbuddin al-Tabari, vol 2, p 198 – at-Tabaqat, by Ibn Sa’d, vol 2, Part 2, p 101 – al-Isti’ab, by Ibn Abd al-Barr, vol 3, p 1107
13. Fadha’il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, vol 2, p 647, Tradition #1098 – al-Isabah, by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, vol 2, p 509 – al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 9, section 3, p 196 – al-Faqih wal Mutafaqih, by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi, vol 2, p 167 – Tarikh al-Khulafaa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, p 171 – al-Tabaqat, by Ibn Sa’d, vol 2, p 338 – al-Isti’ab, by Ibn Abd al-Barr, vol 3, p 40 – al-Riyadh al-Nadhirah, by Muhibbuddin al-Tabari, vol 3, p 212 – al-Dhakha’ir al-Uqba, by Muhibbuddin al-Tabari, p 83.
14. Hakim Nishapouri, Al-Mustadrak Ala-Sahihain, vol. 3, p 126,
