\adíth al­Thaqalayn:

A Study of Its Tawátur

NOTES:

[1]. Al­Ghazálí, al­Musta#fá min `ilm al­'u#úl, Dár @ádir, al­Ma>ba`at al­'Amíriyyah, Búláq, Egypt, 1322 H.

[2]. See al­Sayyid `Abd al­'Azíz al­^abá>abá'í "Ahl al­Bayt (A) fí al­maktabat al­`Arabiyyah," Turáthuná, No. 15 (4th year, 2nd issue), pp. 84 - 93.

[3]. Al­Sayyid `Abd al­`Azíz al­^abá>abá'í "Ahl al­Bayt (A) fí al­maktabat al­`Arabiyyah", Turáthuná, no. 15 (4th year, 2nd issue), pp. 84 ­ 93.

[4]. Idem., "Mawqif al­Shí`ah min hajamát al­khu#úm wa khulá#ah `an Kitáb `Abaqát al­'anwár", Turáthuná, no. 6 (2nd year, 1st issue), pp. 41 ­ 52.

[5]. This is the famous tradition, also mentioned in the narration given by al­\ákim in Mustadrak `ala al­@a<í<ayn (vol. iii, pp. 109­110), quoted in the section "On Some @a<í< Versions of the \adíth" in the present article, in which the Prophet (S) while returning from his last pilgrimage stopped the entire caravan at Ghadír Khumm and made the announcement:

Of whomever I am his master, `Alí also is his master (mawla).

This is also a mutawátir tradition about which al­`Allámah al­'Áminí wrote his great work al­Ghadír fí al­Kitáb wa al­Sunnah wa al­'adab. Among the many Sunní traditionists who have recorded this tradition in their works are:

[6]. Al­Bukhárí in his @a<í< (al­Ma>ba`at al­Khayriyyah, Egypt, 1320) in "Kitáb bad' al­khalq", "Báb manáqib `Alí ibn Abí ^álib" and "Báb ghazwat Tabúk," in two places, records this tradition in which the Prophet (S) is reported to have said to `Alí (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]. Al­Tirmidhí, in his @a<í<, ii, 297, records this tradition of the Prophet (S):

Verily, `AIí and I are inseparable, and he is the master (walí) of every believer after me.

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

[8]. Al­Tirmidhí in his @a<í< 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 `Alí (A) came and the Prophet ate with him.

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

[9]. Al­\ákim records this tradition of the Prophet (S) in his Mustadrak, iii, 126, 127:

I am the city of knowledge and `Alí 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 `Alí ibn Abí ^álib.

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

[11]. This is the following tradition:

Whoever contests `Alí in regard to the khiláfah is an unbeliever.

Among those who have narrated it in their works are:

[12]. Al­Mu<ibb al­^abarí narrates this tradition on the authority of Salmán from the Prophet (S ) in al­Riyá_ al­na_irah, ii, 163:

Fourteen thousand years before Adam ­ upon whom be peace ­ was created, I and `Alí 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 `Alí is the other part.

Among others to have narrated this tradition are:

Among Shí`í scholars those who have narrated it are:

[13]. Al­Bukhárí mentions this tradition in his @a<í<, "Kitáb al­jihád 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 `Alí?' He was told: 'He is suffering with an eye pain.' (When `Alí came) the Prophet applied his saliva to his eyes and prayed for him. `Alí 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]. Al­Tirmidhí has recorded this tradition of the Prophet (S) in his @a<í<, ii, 298:

May God's mercy be upon `Alí. My God, keep the <aqq (truth, righteousness, justice) always with `Alí.

Among others who have recorded it in their works are:

[15]. Al­Nasá'í in Kha#á'i#, 40, reports this tradition on the authority of Abú Sa`íd al­Khudrí:

Abú Sa`íd al­Khudrí reports: "We sat waiting for the Messenger of Alláh (S) when he came out to meet us. The strap of his sandal was broken and he tossed it to `Alí. Then he (S) said, 'A man amongst you will fight the people over the ta'wíl (interpretation) of the Qur'án in the same way as I have fought over its tanzíl (revelation).' Thereupon Abú 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. `Alí).'"

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

[16]. Al­\ákim 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: