Chapter 6 : Hadith al-Ghadir

Ahmad bin Hanbal says:

‘Abdullāh bin Ahmad relates from ‘Alī bin Hakīm Awdī from Sharīk from Abi Ishāq from Sa‘īd bin Wahab and Zayd bin Yuyhay‘ both of whom have narrated:

(Imam) ‘Alī [(‘a)] complained and addressed the people at Rahbah, saying:

“All those who had heard the Prophet’s words at Ghadīr Khum, stand up.”

The narrator says:

Six persons on behalf of Sa‘īd and six persons on behalf of Zayd stood up and bore testimony that they heared the Prophet say on the Day of Ghadīr:

“A laysa Allahu awlā bi al-mu’minīn? Qālu: Balā. Qāla: Allahumma man kuntu mawlāh fa ‘Alīyyun mawlāh. Allahumma wāli man wālāh wa ‘adi man ‘adāh (Is not God superior to the faithful?

Yes! said the gathering. He said:

O Allah! For whomsoever I am master ‘Alī is his master. O Allah! befriend his friends and despise his enemies)”.[34]

Ibn Hanbal has recorded the event of Ghadīr over 30 times in his Musnad through different isnād or chains of authority and in the words of more than 10 companions of the Prophet.[35] The version of Hadīth al-Ghadīr mentioned above is from the notes of Ibn Hanbal’s son ‘Abdullāh on his father’s work. Ahmad Shākir the annotator of the Musnad has described as sahīh the isnād of this hadīth and has said about Sa‘īd bin Wahab Khaywānī that he was among the trustworthy and experienced Muslims of the first generation after the Prophet.[36]      

Chapter 7 : Preventing the Prophet from Writing the Will

Ahmad bin Hanbal says:

Wahab bin Jarīr has related from his father from Yunus from Zuharī from ‘Ubaydullāh that ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Abbās narrated a hadīth to us that the Prophet said in his last days:

“Come, I will write for you a text so that you will never go astray after me”.

Several persons including ‘Umar bin al-Khattāb were present and ‘Umar told the gathering:

Pain has prevailed upon the Prophet. The Qur’ān is with you and the Book of Allah is sufficient for us.

The gathering disputed with each other in this matter, with some repeating ‘Umar’s words and others telling him (‘Umar):

Hearken, so that the Prophet may write something for you.

Since voices were raised and disputes arose the Prophet felt distressed and told them firmly:

“Get up and leave my presence”.

Ibn ‘Abbās added:

The great tragedy is that, by their dispute and clamour, they prevented the Prophet from writing the will for them.[37]

Ahmad Shākir describing the isnād of this hadīth as sahīh,[38] writes: This hadīth has been repeated in this book (Musnad) in the same words or in a summarised form in several places.[39]

Chapter 8 : Three Merits of Imam ‘Alī (‘a) in One Hadith

Ahmad bin Hanbal says:

Qutaybah bin Sa‘īd has related to us from Hātam bin Ismā‘īl from Bukayr bin Mismār from ‘Amir bin Sa‘d from his father (Sa‘d bin Abī Waqqās) who narrated the hadith that when the Prophet on leaving for a campaign asked (Imam) ‘Alī (‘a) to stay (behind in the city) in his place, the latter said:

“Are you leaving me with the women and children?”

I heard the Prophet reply to him:

“Yā ‘Alī amā tarzā ‘an takuna minnī bi manzilati Hārun min Musā illā annahu lā nabiyya ba‘dī (O ‘Alī! Are you not pleased that your position to me is similar to that of Aaron to Moses, except that prophethood will cease after me?).”

(Sa‘d bin Abī Waqqās says) I also heard (the Prophet say) on the Day of Khaybar:

“La-u‘tiyanna al-rāyah rajulan yuhibbu Allaha wa Rasulahu wa yuhibbuhu Allahu wa Rasuluh” (I will give the standard to the man who loves Allah and His Prophet and who is loved (in turn) by Allah and His Prophet).”

All of us raised our necks (to see). He said:

“Call ‘Alī to me.”

On hearing this instruction (Imam) ‘Alī [(‘a)] was brought to the Prophet with sore eyes. The Prophet rubbed his eyes with his saliva and gave him the standard and through his hands Allah conquered Khaybar for the Muslims. And when the ayah “Call our sons and your sons, and our women and your women and ourselves and yourselves” (3:61) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah called ‘Alī (‘a), Fātimah (‘a), Hasan (‘a) and Husayn (‘a) and said:

“Allahumma hāulā’i ahlī (O Allah these [persons] are my family).”[40]

The annotator of the Musnad considers the isnād of this hadith as sahīh (authoritative) and writes:

This hadith has also been recorded through Qutabyah on the same chain of authority by Muslim and Tirmidhi in their books. At the beginning of this hadith, it is mentioned in the two books (Sahīh Muslim and Sahīh Tirmidhi) that Mu‘āwiyah (bin Abī Sufyān) ordered Sa'd (bin Abi Waqqas) to curse (Imam) ‘Alī (‘a), saying:

What prevents you from cursing Abu Turab? 

Sa'd replied:

“I remember three things which the Messenger of Allah said to (Imam) ‘Alī (‘a) and accordingly I will never curse him. If only one of these virtues was for me I would have considered it better than possessing red-haired camels.”

Then he related the three virtues (of Imam ‘Alī) for Mu‘āwiyah as said before.[41]

Chapter 9 : The merits of Imam ‘Alī (‘a) According to Ibn ‘Abbas

Ahmad bin Hanbal says:

Yahyā bin Hammād has related to us from Abī ‘Awwānah from Abī Balj from ‘Amr bin Maymunah who narrated the hadith, saying:

“I was sitting with (‘Abdullāh) bin ‘Abbās when nine parties approached him and said:

Either get up and come with us or leave this place for us.

Ibn ‘Abbās who at that time had not yet lost his eyesight, answered:

I will come with you.

They conferred with him in slow tones and we did not understand what they spoke about. Ibn ‘Abbās then returned to his place and while shaking his clothes said:

Alas, alas! They are trying to fault with a man who has ten privileges (which he recounted as follows):

A. The Prophet (on the day of the conquest of Khaybar) said: “I will send the one whom God will never turn back distressed; he loves Allah and His Prophet.” Then he enquired: “Where is ‘Alī?” They answered that he was at home writhing in pain. He said: “May none of you be afflicted with pain.” Then ‘Alī came with his sore eyes in a state that he was almost unable to see a thing or the way. The Prophet blew his breath into his eyes and after shaking the standard thrice, handed it to ‘Alī, who returned victorious from this mission and brought with him (for the Prophet) Safiyyah bint Ibn Akhtab.[42]

B. The Prophet had sent someone (Abū Bakr) for conveying Surah al-Barā’ah (to the people of Mecca). Then he sent (Imam) ‘Alī (‘a) after him to take charge of the Surah and said: “This Surah should not be conveyed except by him who is from me and I am from him.”

C. He told his near of kin (children of ‘Abdul-Muttalib): “Who among you is ready to accept my wilāyah in this world and the hereafter?” They did not reply to him. ‘Alī (‘a) who was sitting near him said: “I am your friend in this world and the hereafter.” The Prophet said: “You are (indeed) my friend in this world and the hereafter.” The Prophet again turned to the gathering and asked: “Who among you will choose my friendship in the world and the hereafter?” They did not reply but ‘Alī said: “O Messenger of Allah! I choose your friendship in this world and hereafter.” He said: “You are certainly my friend in this world and the hereafter.”

D. He is the first one after Khadījah to practice the Muslim faith.

E. The Prophet raised his cloak and covering ‘Alī, Fātimah, Hasan and Husayn with it, said: “Indeed, Allah desires to remove uncleanness from you O Ahl al-Bayt and keep you pure as pure can be.” (Holy Qur’ān 33:33)

F. (Imam) ‘Alī sold (risked) his life, put on the Prophet’s clothes and slept in his place when the infidels (of Mecca) intended to make the Prophet the target of their malevolence. ‘Alī [(‘a)] was sleeping when Abū Bakr approached him thinking him to be the Prophet. (Imam) ‘Alī [(‘a)] told him: “The Prophet has gone towards the well of Maymun, go and join him.” Abū Bakr left and entered the Cave of Thaur with him. The infidels started pelting (Imam) ‘Alī [(‘a)] with stones (mistaking him to be the Prophet). He flexed himself, writhed in pain but did not remove the cloth covering his head. Only with the break of dawn did he remove aside the cloth covering his head.

G. When the Prophet was leaving Medina with the people for the Tabuk expedition, (Imam) ‘Alī (‘a) asked him: “Am I not accompanying you?” The Prophet replied in the negative. (Imam) ‘Alī (‘a) sighed and the Prophet told him: “Are you not pleased that your position to me is similar to that of Aaron to Moses, except that you are not a Prophet? Is it not proper for me to leave and you should stay as my vicegerent?”

H. The Prophet told him: “After me you are the Master and Leader of all faithful people.”

I. The Prophet said: “Close all doors (of houses) leading into the Mosque (of Medina) except that of the house of ‘Alī.” As a result he could enter the mosque in any state, since except for this passage there was no other entrance to his house.

J. The Prophet said: “For whomsoever I am Master, ‘Alī is his Master.”[43]