Hadith al­Thaqalayn:

A Study of Its Tawatur

NOTES:

[1]. Al­Ghazali, al­Mustasfa min `ilm al­'usul, Dar Sadir, al­Matba`at al­'Amiriyyah, Bulaq, Egypt, 1322 H.

[2]. See al­Sayyid `Abd al­'Aziz al­Tabataba'i "Ahl al­Bayt (A) fi al­maktabat al­`Arabiyyah," Turathuna, No. 15 (4th year, 2nd issue), pp. 84 - 93.

[3]. Al­Sayyid `Abd al­`Aziz al­Tabataba'i "Ahl al­Bayt (A) fi al­maktabat al­`Arabiyyah", Turathuna, no. 15 (4th year, 2nd issue), pp. 84 ­ 93.

[4]. Idem., "Mawqif al­Shi`ah min hajamat al­khusum wa khulasah `an Kitab `Abaqat al­'anwar", Turathuna, no. 6 (2nd year, 1st issue), pp. 41 ­ 52.

[5]. This is the famous tradition, also mentioned in the narration given by al­Hakim in Mustadrak `ala al­Sahihayn (vol. iii, pp. 109­110), quoted in the section "On Some Sahih Versions of the Hadith" in the present article, in which the Prophet (S) while returning from his last pilgrimage stopped the entire caravan at Ghadir Khumm and made the announcement:
Of whomever I am his master, `Ali also is his master (mawla).

This is also a mutawatir tradition about which al­`Allamah al­'Amini wrote his great work al­Ghadir fi al­Kitab wa al­Sunnah wa al­'adab. Among the many Sunni traditionists who have recorded this tradition in their works are:

[6]. Al­Bukhari in his Sahih (al­Matba`at al­Khayriyyah, Egypt, 1320) in "Kitab bad' al­khalq", "Bab manaqib `Ali ibn Abi Talib" and "Bab ghazwat Tabuk," in two places, records this tradition in which the Prophet (S) is reported to have said to `Ali (A):
 Are you not pleased to have the position (manzilah) in relation to me as that Aaron had in relation to Moses?

Among other traditionists who have recorded this tradition in their works are:

[7]. Al­Tirmidhi, in his Sahih, ii, 297, records this tradition of the Prophet (S):
 Verily, `AIi and I are inseparable, and he is the master (wali) of every believer after me.

Among other traditionists who have recorded it in their books are:

[8]. Al­Tirmidhi in his Sahih reports that once when the Prophet (S) sat down to eat a fowl that had been prepared for his dinner, he prayed to God:
 "My God, bring the most beloved of Your creatures, that he may eat this fowl with me." Then `Ali (A) came and the Prophet ate with him.

Among others who have recorded this tradition in their works are:

[9]. Al­Hakim records this tradition of the Prophet (S) in his Mustadrak, iii, 126, 127:
 I am the city of knowledge and `Ali is its gate; whoever intends to enter the city should come to its gate.

Among others who have narrated or recorded it in their works are:

[10]. The following is one of its versions:
 Whoever wishes to see Adam in his knowledge, Noah in his piety, Abraham in his forbearance, Moses in his strength, and Jesus in his worship and devotion should look at `Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Among the narrators who have recorded similar traditions in their works are:

[11]. This is the following tradition:
 Whoever contests `Ali in regard to the khilafah is an unbeliever.

Among those who have narrated it in their works are:

[12]. Al­Muhibb al­Tabari narrates this tradition on the authority of Salman from the Prophet (S ) in al­Riyad al­nadirah, ii, 163:
 Fourteen thousand years before Adam ­ upon whom be peace ­ was created, I and `Ali were a light in the presence of God. When God created Adam ­ upon whom be peace ­ He divided it into two parts. I am one of the parts and `Ali is the other part.

Among others to have narrated this tradition are:

Among Shi`i scholars those who have narrated it are:

[13]. Al­Bukhari mentions this tradition in his Sahih, "Kitab al­jihad wa al­siyar":
Sahl ibn Sa`d said: "The Prophet (S) said on the day of (the victory of) Khaybar: 'Tomorrow I will give the standard to a man, by whose hand God shall conquer (Khaybar). He loves God and His Messenger, and God and His Messenger love him.' The people passed the night wondering as to who will receive it and everyone was hopeful of getting it. (The next day) the Prophet (S) declared: 'Where is `Ali?' He was told: 'He is suffering with an eye pain.' (When `Ali came) the Prophet applied his saliva to his eyes and prayed for him. `Ali recovered as if he had no pain before. Then the Prophet (S) gave it (the standard) to him....

Among others to have recorded this tradition in their books are:

[14]. Al­Tirmidhi has recorded this tradition of the Prophet (S) in his Sahih, ii, 298:
 May God's mercy be upon `Ali. My God, keep the haqq (truth, righteousness, justice) always with `Ali.

Among others who have recorded it in their works are:

[15]. Al­Nasa'i in Khasa'is, 40, reports this tradition on the authority of Abu Sa`id al­Khudri:
Abu Sa`id al­Khudri reports: "We sat waiting for the Messenger of Allah (S) when he came out to meet us. The strap of his sandal was broken and he tossed it to `Ali. Then he (S) said, 'A man amongst you will fight the people over the ta'wil (interpretation) of the Qur'an in the same way as I have fought over its tanzil (revelation).' Thereupon Abu Bakr said, 'Is that I?' The Prophet (S) said, 'No.' Then `Umar asked him, 'Is that I?' 'No.' said the Prophet (S). 'It is the mender of the sandal (i.e. `Ali).'"

Among others who have recorded this tradition in their works are:

[16]. Al­Hakim records this tradition of the Prophet (S) in his Mustadrak, ii, 343, iii, 150:
 The parable of my ahl al­bayt is that of the boat of Noah, whoever gets aboard it is saved and whoever stays away from it is drowned.

Among the traditionists who have narrated it are: